Hepialidae is a family of moths commonly called swift moths or ghost moths, one of the most basal lineages within Lepidoptera, comprising 82 genera and at least 700 recognized species worldwide. Members retain several primitive features, including very short antennae, the absence of a functional proboscis or wing-coupling frenulum, and homoneurous wings, in which the forewing and hindwing share a similar venation pattern with the radius branching into five veins, unlike most other moths and butterflies. Despite this primitive position, hepialids range from very small to quite large, with some species reaching wingspans up to 250 millimeters, and many show strong differences between the sexes, with males usually smaller but more conspicuously marked than females; at high elevations, females of some genera have reduced wings, a condition called brachyptery. This description is adapted from Wikipedia contributors under CC BY-SA 4.0; changes were made. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/
Facts
Classification
Living or Extinct Taxonomic Rank Sources
1. Wikidata (taxon extant/extinct status)
Wikimedia Foundation / Wikidata contributorsQ580250, descriptionView the Source 2. Hepialidae (Wikipedia)
Introduction
The Hepialidae are a family of insects in the lepidopteran order.
- Taxonomic rank (structure-wave classification, ruling 761/926)
View the SourceWikidata: Hepialidae
Wikidata Q580250, class allow-list match (w-wdresolver-0926)View the Source Reader Challenges (0)
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