Jurassic-lineage
Guides
Micropterigidae
mandibulate archaic moths
Micropterigidae is the sole family in the superfamily Micropterigoidea and suborder Zeugloptera, representing the most primitive extant lineage of Lepidoptera. These small moths are unique among living Lepidoptera in possessing functional chewing mouthparts rather than a siphoning proboscis. Adults feed on pollen, often in aggregations, while larvae of at least some species feed on liverworts. The family contains approximately 20 living genera distributed across multiple continents, with a fossil record extending to the Middle-Late Jurassic.