The information presented here is based on phylogenetics – the science of using comparative data regarding morphological, ecological and behavioural characteristics, and DNA analysis, to illustrate presumed evolutionary relationships.
The phylogenetic tree below indicates that the first insects probably branched off as an evolutionary offshoot from other arthropods ( joint-legged animals with an exoskeleton ) about 500 million years ago. The first Lepidoptera ( butterflies, skippers & moths ) and Trichoptera ( caddisflies ) branched from this offshoot about 200 mya.
The table below indicates the presumed evolutionary relationship between butterflies, skippers and the various moth families. The suborders and families at the top of the table are generally regarded as representing the more primitive Lepidoptera, while those at the bottom are the more advanced and specialised. It can be seen that butterflies are supposedly more “advanced” than most moths, but that there are many moth families that are considered to have evolved after the butterflies.
The section dealing with butterflies, skippers and butterfly-moths has been expanded to show the constituent subfamilies and tribes. Some families have not been sufficiently studied to enable them to be split into subfamilies. Likewise certain members of some subfamilies have not been studied well enough for them to be assigned to existing tribes – these are categorised under the heading Incertae-sedis – meaning ‘of uncertain placement’.
| Sub-order | Superfamily | Family | Common name | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Zeugloptera |
Micropterigoidae |
Micropterigidae |
Mandibulate moths | |
|
Aglossata |
Agathiphagoidea |
Agathiphagidae |
Kauri moths | |
|
Heterobathmiina |
Heterobathmoidea |
Heterobathmiidae |
Valvidian Archaic moths | |
|
Glossata |
Eriocranioidea |
Eriocraniidae |
Sparkling Archaic Sun moths | |
|
|
|
Acanthopteroctetidae |
Archaic Sun moths | |
|
|
Lophocoronoidea |
Lophocoronidae |
Australian Archaic Sun moths | |
|
|
Neopseustoidea |
Neopseustidae |
Archaic Bell moths | |
|
|
Mnesarchaeoidea |
Mnesarchaeidae |
New Zealand Primitive moths | |
|
|
Hepialoidea |
Neotheoridae |
Amazon Primitive Ghost moths | |
|
|
|
Anomosetidae |
Australian primitive Ghost moths | |
|
|
|
Prototheoridae |
African Primitive Ghost moths | |
|
|
|
Hepialidae |
Ghost moths | |
|
|
|
Palaeosetidae |
Miniature Ghost moths | |
|
Monotrysia |
Andesianoidea |
Andesianidae |
Valvidian Forest moths | |
|
|
Nepticuloidea |
Nepticulidae |
Pygmy moths | |
|
|
|
Opostegidae |
Eye-cap moths | |
|
|
Tischerioidea |
Tischeriidae |
Trumpet Leafminer moths | |
|
|
Paleaphatoidea |
Paleaphatidae |
Gondwanaland moths | |
|
|
Incurvarioidea |
Incurvariidae |
Leaf-cutter moths | |
|
|
|
Cedidosidae |
Gall moths | |
|
|
|
Prodoxidae |
Yucca moths | |
|
|
|
Adelidae |
Longhorn Fairy moths | |
|
|
|
Heliozelidae |
Shield-bearer moths | |
|
Ditrysia |
Tineoidea |
Acrolophidae |
Tube moths | |
|
|
|
Tineidae |
Fungus moths | |
|
|
|
Eriocottidae |
Spiny-winged moths | |
|
|
|
Psychidae |
Bagworm moths | |
|
|
|
Arrhenophanidae |
Tropical Lattice moths | |
|
|
|
Amphitheridae |
Double-eye moths | |
|
|
|
Schreckensteiniidae |
Bristle-legged moths | |
|
|
|
Douglasiidae |
Douglas moths | |
|
|
|
Bucculatricidae |
Ribbed Cocoon-maker moths | |
|
|
|
Gracillariidae |
Leafminer moths | |
|
|
Gelechioidea |
Oecophoridae |
Concealer moths | |
|
|
|
Lecithoceridae |
Tropical Longhorn moths | |
|
|
|
Elachistidae |
Grass Miner moths | |
|
|
|
Pterolonchidae |
Lance-winged moths | |
|
|
|
Gelechiidae |
Twirler moths | |
|
|
|
Blastobasidae |
Scavenger moths | |
|
|
|
Coleophoridae |
Case-bearer moths | |
|
|
|
Momphidae |
Mompha moths | |
|
|
|
Aganoxenidae |
Palm moths | |
|
|
|
Cosmopterigidae |
Cosmet moths | |
|
|
|
Scythrididae |
Flower moths | |
|
|
Copromorhoidea |
Copromorphidae |
Tropical Fruit-worm moths | |
|
|
|
Alucitidae |
Many-plumed moths | |
|
|
|
Carposinidae |
Fruit-worm moths | |
|
|
|
Epermeniidae |
Fringe-tufted moths | |
|
|
Yponomeutoidea |
Ochsenheimeriidae |
Cereal Stem moths | |
|
|
|
Glyphipterigidae |
Sedge moths | |
|
|
|
Plutellidae |
Diamond-back moths | |
|
|
|
Attevidae |
Tropical Ermine moths | |
|
|
|
Yponomeutidae |
Ermine moths | |
|
|
|
Argyresthiidae |
Shiny Head-standing moths | |
|
|
|
Lyonetiidae |
Lyonet moths | |
|
|
|
Acrolepiidae |
False Diamond-back moths | |
|
|
|
Heliodinidae |
Sun moths | |
|
|
Immoidea |
Immidae |
Imma moths | |
|
|
Pyraloidea |
Hyblaeidae |
Teak moths | |
|
|
|
Thyrididae |
Picture-winged Leaf moths | |
|
|
|
Pyralidae |
Snout moths | |
|
|
Pterophoroidea |
Tineodidae |
False Plume moths | |
|
|
|
Oxychirotidae |
Tropical Plume moths | |
|
|
|
Pterophoridae |
Plume moths | |
|
|
Sesioidea |
Brachodidae |
Little Bear moths | |
|
|
|
Sesiidae |
Clearwing moths | |
|
|
|
Urodidae |
False Burnet moths | |
|
|
|
Choreutidae |
Metalmark moths | |
|
|
Zygaenoidea |
Heterogynidae |
Mediterranean Burnet moths | |
|
|
|
Zygaenidae |
Burnet moths | |
|
|
|
Himantopteridae |
Long-tailed Burnet moths | |
|
|
|
Lacturidae |
Tropical Burnet moths | |
|
|
|
Somabrachyidae |
Mediterranean Flannel moths | |
|
|
|
Megalopygidae |
Flannel moths | |
|
|
Cossoidea |
Cossidae |
Wood-borer moths | |
|
|
|
Dudgeoneidae |
Dudgeon Wood-borer moths | |
|
|
|
Metarbelidae |
Tropical Wood-borer moths | |
|
|
|
Cyclotornidae |
Australian Parasite moths | |
|
|
|
Epipyropidae |
Planthopper Parasite moths | |
|
|
|
Dalceridae |
Tropical Slug-Caterpillar moths | |
|
|
|
Limacodidae |
Slug-Caterpillar moths | |
|
|
|
Chrysopolomidae |
African Slug-Caterpillar moths | |
|
|
Castnioidea |
Castniidae |
Giant Butterfly-moths | |
|
|
Tortricoidea |
Tortricidae |
Leaf-roller moths | |
|
|
Calliduloidea |
Ratardidae |
Oriental Parnassian moths | |
|
|
|
Pterothysanidae |
Parnassian moths | |
|
|
|
Callidulidae |
Old World Butterfly-moths | |
|
|
Geometroidea |
Epicopeiidae |
Oriental Swallowtail moths | |
|
|
|
Apoprogonidae |
African Skipper-moths | |
|
|
|
Sematuridae |
American Swallowtail moths | |
|
|
|
Uraniidae |
Swallowtail moths | |
|
|
|
Epiplemidae |
Crenulate moths | |
|
|
|
Geometridae |
Geometer moths | |
|
Rhopalocera |
Hesperioidea |
Hesperiidae |
Hesperiinae |
Incertae-sedis |
|
Megathymini | ||||
|
Thymelicini | ||||
|
Calpodini | ||||
|
Anthoptini | ||||
|
Moncini | ||||
|
Hesperiini | ||||
|
Trapezitinae |
no tribes assigned | |||
|
Heteropterinae |
Heteropterini | |||
*Recent taxonomic revision has resulted in the former families Arctiidae and Lymantriidae being
reclassified as subfamilies of the Erebidae, as shown in the above table.