Dalceridae

Definition

A small family of zygaenoid moths (superfamily Zygaenoidea) comprising roughly 80 described species in about a dozen genera, distributed primarily in the Neotropical region with a few species extending into the southern Nearctic. Larvae are notable for their gelatinous, slug-like bodies and are sometimes called 'slug caterpillars' or 'jewel caterpillars' due to their translucent, often colorful appearance.

Etymology

From the genus Dalcerides + -idae (family suffix).

Example

The jewel-like larva of the dalcerid moth Acraga coa, with its transparent, gelatinous body revealing internal organs, exemplifies the unusual morphology that gives these Neotropical moths their common name 'jewel caterpillars'.

Synonyms

• dalcerids

Related Terms

• Zygaenoidea
• Lepidoptera
• slug caterpillar
• Acraginae
• Dalcerinae
• Zygaenidae

Usage Notes

Treat as plural in formal taxonomic usage (e.g., 'Dalceridae are characterized by...'); individual members are 'dalcerids'. The family is morphologically distinctive among Zygaenoidea due to the unique gelatinous larval integument. Sometimes confused with the unrelated family Limacodidae, which also contains 'slug caterpillars' but belongs to a different superfamily (Cossoidea).