Basal-lepidoptera
Guides
Acanthopteroctetes
Acanthopteroctetes is a genus of archaic sun moths in the family Acanthopteroctetidae, the sole genus within the superfamily Acanthopteroctetoidea. This group represents one of the most basal lineages within the lepidopteran clade Coelolepida. Species are small, diurnal moths with reduced wing venation. The genus was established by Braun in 1921.
Adelidae
Fairy Moths, Fairy Longhorn Moths
Adelidae, commonly known as fairy longhorn moths or fairy moths, is a family of small monotrysian moths in the infraorder Heteroneura. Males are distinguished by extraordinarily long antennae, often 1–3 times the length of the forewing, while females have antennae about twice the forewing length. Most species exhibit metallic coloration and are diurnal, though some are crepuscular with drab coloration. The family was first described by Charles Théophile Bruand d'Uzelle in 1851 and was formerly treated as a subfamily (Adelinae) of Incurvariidae.
Epimartyria
Epimartyria is a genus of small, primitive moths in the family Micropterigidae, established by Walsingham in 1898. The genus contains three described species: E. auricrinella, E. bimaculella, and E. pardella. These moths represent an ancient lineage of Lepidoptera that retains chewing mouthparts as adults, a characteristic of the family Micropterigidae.
Hepialidae
Ghost moths, Swift moths
Hepialidae, commonly known as ghost moths or swift moths, comprise approximately 700 species in 82 genera and represent the most diverse family of the infraorder Exoporia. These moths exhibit numerous ancestral characteristics, including very short antennae, absence of a functional proboscis, and homoneurous wing structure with similar forewings and hindwings. Species range dramatically in size from small moths to a record wingspan of 250 mm in Zelotypia. The family shows highest diversity in ancient landmasses, particularly Australia, South Africa, and Chile, reflecting their Gondwanan origins. Many species display pronounced sexual dimorphism, with males typically smaller but more boldly marked than females.
Prodoxidae
Yucca Moths and Allies
Prodoxidae is a family of small, primitive monotrysian moths within the superfamily Adeloidea. The family includes approximately 90 described species across 12 genera, with members distributed primarily in the Northern Hemisphere. While some species such as the currant shoot borer (Lampronia capitella) are minor agricultural pests, the family is best known for the yucca moths—genera Tegeticula, Parategeticula, and Prodoxus—which exhibit one of the most extensively studied obligate pollination mutualisms in evolutionary biology. Female yucca moths possess unique tentacle-like mouthpart modifications for active pollen collection and intentional pollination of their host plants. The family occupies a basal phylogenetic position within Lepidoptera, making it significant for understanding the early evolution of the order.
Tischerioidea
Trumpet Leafminer Moths, Trumpet Leaf Miner Moths
A monobasic superfamily of minute moths containing a single family, Tischeriidae. Larvae are leaf miners that produce distinctive trumpet-shaped mines in host plant foliage. The group holds phylogenetic significance as a candidate sister taxon to the Ditrysia, the largest clade of Lepidoptera. Females possess a monotrysian reproductive system, a plesiomorphic trait shared with other basal lepidopteran lineages.