Family Pterophoridae (Pterophorid Moths, Plume Moths)

Description of Pterophoridae

The Pterophoridae are part of the Superfamily Pterophoroidea. More than 1,000 species have been described worldwide, with probably many undescribed tropical species. In America north of Mexico, more than 150 species have been named, and these are found primarily in the West. Adults are medium to small (wingspan 1.3-4.1 cm), with long and slender bodies, legs, and wings, and a T-shaped appearance when at rest. They typically have deeply cleft wings, with each of the three divisions of the hindwings bearing broad fringes, from which the family common name derives. These moths are usually nocturnal and dull colored, tan, brown, or gray with paler and darker markings. Some species are borers in stems or roots, but most are external feeders on foliage. Pupae are either formed in larval galleries or affixed to host-plant stems or debris, fully exposed, and feed on living angiosperm plants.

Subfamily:

Exelastis montischristi (Walsingham, 1897)

Subfamily: Platyptiliinae (Platyptiliines)

Oxyptilus delawaricus (Zeller, 1873)

Paraplatyptilia auriga (Barnes & Lindsey, 1921)

Platyptilia carduidactyla Artichoke Plume Moth (Riley, 1869)

Platyptilia williamsii (Grinnell, 1908)

Subfamily: Pterophorinae (Pterophorinids)

Adaina ambrosiae (Murtfeldt, 1880)

Adaina montanus (Walsingham, 1880)

Adaina simplicius (Grossbeck, 1917)

Amblyptilia pica Geranium Plume Moth (Walsingham, 1880)

Anstenoptilia marmarodactyla (Dyar, 1903)

Buckleria parvulus Sundew Plume Moth (Barnes & Lindsey, 1921)

Cnaemidophorus rhododactyla (Denis & Schiffermüller, 1775)

Dejongia lobidactylus (Fitch, 1854)

Emmelina monodactyla Morning-glory Plume Moth (Linnaeus, 1758)

Geina buscki (McDunnough, 1933)

Geina buscki/tenuidactylus (McDunnough, 1933)/ (Fitch, 1854)

Geina periscelidactylus Grape Plume Moth (Fitch, 1854)

Geina periscelidactylus|sheppardi

Geina sheppardi Sheppard's Plume Moth (Landry, 1989)

Geina tenuidactyla Himmelman's Plume Moth (Fitch, 1854)

Gillmeria pallidactyla (Haworth, 1811)

Hellinsia balanotes (Meyrick, 1908)

Hellinsia chlorias (Meyrick, 1908)

Hellinsia elliottii (Fernald, 1893)

Hellinsia glenni (Cashatt, 1972)

Hellinsia grandis Coyote Brush Borer Plume Moth (Fish, 1881)

Hellinsia homodactylus (Walker, 1864)

Hellinsia inquinatus (Zeller, 1873)

Hellinsia kellicottii Goldenrod Borer Plume Moth (Fish, 1881)

Hellinsia lacteodactylus (Chambers, 1873)

Hellinsia paleaceus (Zeller, 1873)

Hellinsia pectodactylus (Staudinger, 1859)

Hellinsia sulphureodactylus (Packard, 1873)

Hellinsia unicolor (Barnes & McDunnough, 1913)

Lantanophaga pusillidactyla Lantana Plume Moth (Walker, 1864)

Lioptilodes albistriolatus (Zeller, 1871)

Megalorhipida leucodactylus Spiderling Plume Moth (Fabricius, 1794)

Oidaematophorus balsamorrhizae (McDunnough, 1939)

Oidaematophorus eupatorii Eupatorium Plume Moth (Fernald, 1891)

Oidaematophorus longifrons (Walsingham, 1915)

Oidaematophorus mathewianus

Oidaematophorus occidentalis

Oidaematophorus phaceliae McDunnough, 1938

Paraplatyptilia carolina (Kearfott, 1907)

Paraplatyptilia fragilis (Walsingham, 1880)

Pselnophorus belfragei Belfrage's Plume Moth (Fish, 1881)

Sphenarches anisodactylus (Walker, 1864)

Sphenarches ontario (McDunnough, 1927)

Stenoptilodes brevipennis (Zeller, 1874)

Stenoptilodes sp. Unidentified Stenoptilodes Moths (Unk)

Stenoptilodes taprobanes (Felder & Rogenhofer, 1875)

Stenoptilodes taprobanes/brevipennis (Felder & Rogenhofer, 1875)/(Zeller, 1874)

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Description of Pterophoridae

Butterflies and Moths of North America

collecting and sharing data about Lepidoptera

Subfamily:

Subfamily: Platyptiliinae (Platyptiliines)

Subfamily: Pterophorinae (Pterophorinids)

Thank you!

Photographs of Pterophoridae

Adaina ambrosiae

Lioptilodes albistriolatus

Artichoke Plume Moth
Platyptilia carduidactyla

Sphenarches anisodactylus

Goldenrod Borer Plume Moth
Hellinsia kellicottii

Lantana Plume Moth
Lantanophaga pusillidactyla

Goldenrod Borer Plume Moth
Hellinsia kellicottii

Adaina ambrosiae

Artichoke Plume Moth
Platyptilia carduidactyla

Morning-glory Plume Moth
Emmelina monodactyla

Eupatorium Plume Moth
Oidaematophorus eupatorii

Artichoke Plume Moth
Platyptilia carduidactyla

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Butterflies and Moths of North America

collecting and sharing data about Lepidoptera

Family Pterophoridae (Pterophorid Moths, Plume Moths)

Subfamily:

Subfamily: Platyptiliinae (Platyptiliines)

Subfamily: Pterophorinae (Pterophorinids)

Thank you!

Photographs of Pterophoridae

Artichoke Plume MothPlatyptilia carduidactyla

Goldenrod Borer Plume MothHellinsia kellicottii

Lantana Plume MothLantanophaga pusillidactyla

Goldenrod Borer Plume MothHellinsia kellicottii

Artichoke Plume MothPlatyptilia carduidactyla

Morning-glory Plume MothEmmelina monodactyla

Eupatorium Plume MothOidaematophorus eupatorii

Artichoke Plume MothPlatyptilia carduidactyla

Artichoke Plume Moth
Platyptilia carduidactyla

Goldenrod Borer Plume Moth
Hellinsia kellicottii

Lantana Plume Moth
Lantanophaga pusillidactyla

Goldenrod Borer Plume Moth
Hellinsia kellicottii

Artichoke Plume Moth
Platyptilia carduidactyla

Morning-glory Plume Moth
Emmelina monodactyla

Eupatorium Plume Moth
Oidaematophorus eupatorii

Artichoke Plume Moth
Platyptilia carduidactyla