Lecithoceridae

Definition

A family of small moths in the order Lepidoptera, commonly known as long-horned moths, characterized by antennae that are typically longer than the forewing. The family was established by Simon Le Marchand in 1947 and exhibits its greatest diversity in the Indomalayan and southern Palaearctic realms, with members found worldwide.

Etymology

From Greek lekithos (egg yolk) + keras (horn), alluding to the elongated antennae

Example

Lecithoceridae includes genera such as Lecithocera and Crocidosema, whose larvae often feed on decaying plant matter or leaf litter in tropical and subtropical forests.

Synonyms

• long-horned moths

Related Terms

• Lepidoptera
• Gelechioidea
• antenna
• Indomalayan realm
• Palaearctic realm
• microlepidoptera

Usage Notes

Sometimes treated as a subfamily (Lecithocerinae) within Oecophoridae in older classifications; current molecular phylogenetics supports family rank within Gelechioidea. The common name 'long-horned moths' can be ambiguous, as some unrelated moth families also possess elongated antennae.