The
geometer moths or
Geometridae (from Greek
geo γη or γαια 'the earth' and
metron μέτρων 'measure' — refers to the larvae, which appear to "measure the earth" as they move in a looping fashion) are a
familyIn biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...
of the
orderIn scientific classification used in biology, the order is# a taxonomic rank used in the classification of organisms. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, family, genus, and species, with order fitting in between class and family...
LepidopteraLepidoptera is a large order of insects that includes moths and butterflies . It is one of the most widespread and widely recognizable insect orders in the world, encompassing moths and the three superfamilies of butterflies, skipper butterflies, and moth-butterflies...
. A very large family, it has around 35,000 species of
mothA moth is an insect closely related to the butterfly, both being of the order Lepidoptera. Moths form the majority of this order; there are thought to be 150,000 to 250,000 different species of moth , with thousands of species yet to be described...
s described, and over 1,400 species from 6 subclasses indigenous to
North AmericaNorth America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
. A well-known member is the
Peppered MothThe peppered moth is a temperate species of night-flying moth. Peppered moth evolution is often used by educators as an example of natural selection.- Distribution :...
,
Biston betularia, which has been subject of numerous studies in
population geneticsPopulation genetics is the study of allele frequency distribution and change under the influence of the four main evolutionary processes: natural selection, genetic drift, mutation and gene flow. It also takes into account the factors of recombination, population subdivision and population...
. Several other geometer moths are notorious pests.
Adults
Many geometrids have slender
abdomenIn vertebrates such as mammals the abdomen constitutes the part of the body between the thorax and pelvis. The region enclosed by the abdomen is termed the abdominal cavity...
s and broad wings which are usually held flat with the hindwings visible. As such they appear rather
butterflyA butterfly is a mainly day-flying insect of the order Lepidoptera, which includes the butterflies and moths. Like other holometabolous insects, the butterfly's life cycle consists of four parts: egg, larva, pupa and adult. Most species are diurnal. Butterflies have large, often brightly coloured...
-like but in most respects they are typical moths: the majority fly at night, they possess a
frenulumA frenulum is a small fold of tissue that secures or restricts the motion of a mobile organ in the body.-In human anatomy:...
to link the wings and the
antennaeAntennae in biology have historically been paired appendages used for sensing in arthropods. More recently, the term has also been applied to cilium structures present in most cell types of eukaryotes....
of the males are often feathered. They tend to blend in to the background, often with intricate, wavy patterns on their wings. In some species, females have reduced wings (e.g. winter moth and fall cankerworm).
Most are of moderate size, about 3 centimetres (1.2 in) in wingspan, but a range of sizes occur from 10 millimetre, and a few species (e.g.,
Dysphania) reach an even larger size. They have distinctive paired
tympanal organA tympanal organ is a hearing organ in insects, consisting of a membrane stretched across a frame backed by an air sac and associated sensory neurons...
s at the base of the abdomen (lacking in flightless females).
Caterpillars
The name "Geometridae" ultimately derives from Latin
from Greek ("geometer, earth-measurer"). This refers to the means of locomotion of the
larvaA larva is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into adults. Animals with indirect development such as insects, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase of their life cycle...
e or
caterpillarCaterpillars are the larval form of members of the order Lepidoptera . They are mostly herbivorous in food habit, although some species are insectivorous. Caterpillars are voracious feeders and many of them are considered to be pests in agriculture...
s, which lack the
prolegA Proleg is the small fleshy, stub structure found on the ventral surface of the abdomen of most larval forms of insects of the order Lepidoptera, though they can also be found on other larval insects such as sawflies and a few types of flies....
s of other Lepidopteran caterpillars in the middle portion of the body, with only two or three pairs at each end. Equipped with appendages at both ends of the body, a caterpillar will clasp with its front legs and draw up the hind end, then clasp with the hind end (prolegs) and reach out for a new front attachment - creating the impression that it is measuring its journey. The caterpillars are accordingly called
loopers,
spanworms, or
inchworms after their characteristic looping gait. The
cabbage looperThe Cabbage Looper is a member of the moth family Noctuidae. It is found throughout the southern Palaearctic ecozone, all of North America, parts of Africa and most of the Oriental and Indo-Australian region....
is not an inchworm, but a caterpillar of a different family. In many species of geometer moths, the inchworms are about 25 mm (0.984251968503937 in) long. They tend to be green, grey, or brownish and hide from predators by fading into the background or resembling twigs. Many inchworms, when disturbed, stand erect and motionless on the prolegs, increasing the resemblance. Some have humps or filaments. They are seldom hairy or gregarious and are generally smooth. Typically they eat leaves. However, some eat lichen, flowers or pollen. Some, such as the Hawaiian species of the genus
EupitheciaEupithecia is a large genus of moths of the family Geometridae. There are hundreds of described species, found in all parts of the world , and new species are discovered on a regular basis....
, are even carnivorous. Certain destructive inchworms are called cankerworms.
Systematics
The placement of the example species follows a 1990 systematic treatment; it may be outdated. Families are tentatively sorted in a phylogenetic sequence, from the most basal to the most advanced. Traditionally the
ArchiearinaeArchiearinae is a subfamily of the geometer moth family .-Genera:The subfamily contains the following genera:*Acalyphes*Archiearides*Archiearis*Boudinotiana*Caenosynteles*Dirce*Lachnocephala*Leucobrephos...
were held to be the most ancient of the geometer moth lineages, as their
caterpillarCaterpillars are the larval form of members of the order Lepidoptera . They are mostly herbivorous in food habit, although some species are insectivorous. Caterpillars are voracious feeders and many of them are considered to be pests in agriculture...
s have well-developed
prolegA Proleg is the small fleshy, stub structure found on the ventral surface of the abdomen of most larval forms of insects of the order Lepidoptera, though they can also be found on other larval insects such as sawflies and a few types of flies....
s. However, it nowadays seems that the
LarentiinaeLarentiinae moths contain roughly 5,800 species and occur mostly in the temperate regions of the world. They are generally considered a subfamily of the geometer moth family and divided into a few large or good-sized tribes, and numerous very small or even monotypic ones which might not always be...
are actually older, as indicated by their numerous plesiomorphies and
DNA sequenceThe sequence or primary structure of a nucleic acid is the composition of atoms that make up the nucleic acid and the chemical bonds that bond those atoms. Because nucleic acids, such as DNA and RNA, are unbranched polymers, this specification is equivalent to specifying the sequence of...
data. They are either an extremely basal lineage of the Geometridae – together with the
SterrhinaeSterrhinae is a large subfamily of the geometer moth family with some 2,800 described species.- Systematics :Sterrhinae is in fact a junior synonym of Idaeidae...
–, or might even be considered a separate
familyIn biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...
of
GeometroideaGeometroidea is the superfamily of geometrid moths in the Lepidoptera. It includes the families Geometridae, Uraniidae, and Sematuridae...
. As regards the Archiearinae, some species that were traditionally placed therein actually seem to belong to other subfamilies; altogether it seems that in a few cases, the prolegs which were originally lost in the ancestral geometer moths re-evolved as an
atavismAtavism is the tendency to revert to ancestral type. In biology, an atavism is an evolutionary throwback, such as traits reappearing which had disappeared generations before. Atavisms can occur in several ways...
.
LarentiinaeLarentiinae moths contain roughly 5,800 species and occur mostly in the temperate regions of the world. They are generally considered a subfamily of the geometer moth family and divided into a few large or good-sized tribes, and numerous very small or even monotypic ones which might not always be...
– about 5,800 species, includes the pug moths, mostly temperate. Might be a distinct family.
SterrhinaeSterrhinae is a large subfamily of the geometer moth family with some 2,800 described species.- Systematics :Sterrhinae is in fact a junior synonym of Idaeidae...
– about 2,800 species, mostly tropical. Might belong to same family as Larentiinae.
- Birch Mocha, Cyclophora albipunctata
- False Mocha, Cyclophora porata
- Maiden's Blush, Cyclophora punctaria
- Riband Wave
The Riband Wave is a moth of the family Geometridae. It is an abundant species in Europe, the Near East and North Africa, its distinctive outline familiar at lighted windows....
, Idaea aversata
- Small Fan-footed Wave
The Small Fan-footed Wave is a Moth of the family Geometridae. It is common throughout Europe including the British Isles....
, Idaea biselata
- Single-dotted Wave, Idaea dimidiata
- Small Scallop, Idaea emarginata
- Idaea filicata
Idaea filicata is a moth of the family Geometridae. It is found in Southern Europe and the Near East.The species has a wingspan of 12–21 mm. The adults fly at night from May to September in two to three generations....
- Dwarf Cream Wave, Idaea fuscovenosa
- Rusty Wave, Idaea inquinata
- Purple-bordered Gold, Idaea muricata
- Bright Wave, Idaea ochrata
- Least Carpet, Idaea rusticata
- Small Dusty Wave
The Small Dusty Wave is a moth of the family Geometridae. It is found throughout Europe, the Near East and North Africa. In the British Isles it is common in England and Wales but is only found in the eastern half of Scotland and is absent from Ireland.The species is very small and is probably...
, Idaea seriata
- Purple-barred Yellow, Lythria cruentaria (formerly in Larentiinae)
- Vestal, Rhodometra sacraria
- Common Pink-barred, Rhodostrophia vibicaria
- Middle Lace Border, Scopula decorata
- Cream Wave
The Cream Wave is a grayish white moth with a wingspan of about 3 centimeters. Its wings are fringed and the males have small, feathered antennae....
, Scopula floslactata
- Small Blood-vein, Scopula imitaria
- Lewes Wave, Scopula immorata
- Lesser Cream Wave, Scopula immutata
- Mullein Wave, Scopula marginepunctata
- Zachera Moth, Semiothisa zachera
- Blood-vein
The Blood-vein, is a moth of the family Geometridae. It has a scattered distribution in Western and Central Europe north of the Alps. In the British Isles the distribution is patchy outside southern England and Wales...
, Timandra comae
- Eastern Blood-vein, Timandra griseata
DesmobathrinaeDesmobathrinae is a subfamily of the moth family Geometridae.-Recognized genera:Tribe Desmobathrini:* Alex Walker, 1863* Antozola Herbulot, 1992* Apatadelpha Prout, 1910* Brachytrita Swinhoe, 1904* Caledophia Holloway, 1979...
– pantropical
GeometrinaeGeometrinae is the nominate subfamily of the geometer moth family . It is strongly split, containing a considerable number of tribes of which most are presently very small or monotypic however...
– emerald moths, about 2,300 named species, most tropical
ArchiearinaeArchiearinae is a subfamily of the geometer moth family .-Genera:The subfamily contains the following genera:*Acalyphes*Archiearides*Archiearis*Boudinotiana*Caenosynteles*Dirce*Lachnocephala*Leucobrephos...
– 12 species; Holarctic, southern Andes and Tasmania, though the latter some seem to belong to the Ennominae. Larvae have all the prolegs except most are reduced.
- Infant
The Infant or First-born Geometer is a moth of the Geometridae family. It is found from Alaska to Newfoundland and the northern United States, south in the east to New Jersey, south in the west to California....
, Archiearis infansThe Infant or First-born Geometer is a moth of the Geometridae family. It is found from Alaska to Newfoundland and the northern United States, south in the east to New Jersey, south in the west to California....
(Möschler, 1862)
- Scarce Infant, Leucobrephos brephoides
The Scarce Infant Moth is a moth of the Geometridae family. It is found from Yukon to Labrador and south to New York and southern Alberta and British Columbia. The habitat consists of open mixed wood forests of the boreal and mountain region.The wingspan is about 29 mm. Adults are on wing from...
(Walker, 1857)
OenochrominaeOenochrominae is a subfamily of moth family Geometridae.-Genera:* Abraxaphantes Warren, 1894* Adeixis Warren, 1897* Adesmobathra Prout, 1916* Afrophyla Warren, 1895* Aglossophanes Turner, 1942* Aletis Hübner, 1820...
– in some treatments used as a "
wastebin taxonWastebasket taxon is a term used in some taxonomic circles to refer to a taxon that has the sole purpose of classifying organisms that do not fit anywhere else. They are typically defined by their lack of one or more distinct character states or by their not belonging to one or more other taxa...
" for genera that are difficult to place in other groups.
AlsophilinaeAlsophilinae is a subfamily of the moth family Geometridae, consisting of two genera, Alsophila and Inurois....
– a few genera, defoliators of trees. Might belong in the Ennominae,
tribeIn biology, a tribe is a taxonomic rank between family and genus. It is sometimes subdivided into subtribes.Some examples include the tribes: Canini, Acalypheae, Hominini, Bombini, and Antidesmeae.-See also:* Biological classification* Rank...
BoarmiiniThe Boarmiini are a large tribe of geometer moths in the Ennominae subfamily.-Description and systematics:...
.
- March Moth, Alsophila aescularia
- Fall Cankerworm, Alsophila pometaria
The Fall Cankerworm is a moth of the Geometridae family. It is found from Nova Scotia west to Alberta, south to Colorado and California....
EnnominaeEnnominae is the largest subfamily of the geometer moth family with some 9,700 described species in 1,100 genera. They are usually fairly small moth species, though some grow considerably larger. This subfamily has a global distribution. It includes some species that are notorious defoliating...
– about 9,700 species, including some defoliating pests; global distribution.
Geometridae genera
incertae sedis , is a term used to define a taxonomic group where its broader relationships are unknown or undefined. Uncertainty at specific taxonomic levels is attributed by , , and similar terms.-Examples:*The fossil plant Paradinandra suecica could not be assigned to any...
include:
- Dichromodes
Dichromodes is a genus of moth in the family Geometridae.-Species:* Dichromodes aesia Turner, 1930* Dichromodes ainaria Guenée, 1857* Dichromodes anelictis Meyrick, 1890* Dichromodes angasi Dichromodes is a genus of moth in the family Geometridae.-Species:* Dichromodes aesia Turner, 1930*...
- Nearcha
Nearcha is a genus of moth in the family Geometridae.-Species:Species include:* Nearcha dasyzona – Lower, 1903* Nearcha nullata – Guenée, 1857-References:*...
Fossil Geometridae taxa include:
- †
In biology and ecology, extinction is the end of an organism or of a group of organisms , normally a species. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of the species, although the capacity to breed and recover may have been lost before this point...
Hydriomena? protritaHydriomena? protrita is an extinct species of moth in the family Geometridae, and possibly in the modern genus Hydriomena. The species is known from late Eocene, Priabonian stage, lake deposits near the small community of Florissant in Teller County, Colorado, USA.-History and...
Cockerell, 1922 (PriabonianThe Priabonian is, in the ICS's geologic timescale, the latest age or the upper stage of the Eocene epoch or series. It spans the time between and...
, Florissant Formation, Colorado)
Further reading
- Hausmann, A. (2001): The geometrid moths of Europe. Apollo Books.
- Minet, J. & Scoble, M. J. (1999): The Drepanoid / Geometroid Assemblage. In: N. P. Kristensen (ed.): Handbuch der Zoologie. Eine Naturgeschichte der Stämme des Tierreiches / Handbook of Zoology. A Natural History of the phyla of the Animal Kingdom (Vol. 4: Arthropoda: Insecta. Part 35: Lepidoptera, Moths and Butterflies vol. 1: Evolution, Systematics, and Biogeography): Chapter 17. Walter de Gruyter, Berlin & New York.
- Scoble, M. J. (ed.) (1999): Geometrid Moths of the World: A Catalogue. CSIRO Publishing. ISBN 0-643-06304-8
External links
- Family Geometridae at Lepidoptera.pro
- Anacamptodes pergracilis, cypress looper on the University of Florida
The University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906...
/ Institute of Food and Agricultural SciencesThe University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences is a federal-state-county partnership dedicated to developing knowledge in agriculture, human and natural resources, and the life sciences, and enhancing and sustaining the quality of human life by making that information...
Featured Creatures website
- Geometridae species in Portugal