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Welcome to Daves Moth and Butterfly World -
Superfamily: Galacticidae

Welcome to Dave McCormick's Moth and Butterfly World. Here is information on the Superfamily, Galacticidae and its subfamilies.

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Information

Galacticidae is a recently recognised and enigmatic family of insects in the lepidopteran order. These are moderate sized moths are 8-17 mm. in wingspan and have previously been embedded within several lepidopteran superfamilies (Tineoidea: Psychidae, Urodoidea, Sesioidea and in several families of Yponomeutoidea), but Galacticidae is currently placed as its own superfamily at the base of the natural group Apoditrysia.

The relationships of Galacticidae need reassessment with new characters including DNA data. The genus Homadaula looks remarkably like the yponomeutid genera Prays and Atemelia and some species are reminiscent of "Small Ermine" moths. Despite the spined abdominal segments of the pupae and a few other characters some possess structural similarities to yponomeutids as well and have similar larval behaviour so their removal from the Yponomeutoidea has been questioned.

The family is distributed in the Old World from Africa and Madagascar to Asia, Australia and New Caledonia. The richest genus is Homadaula with eight species. The "Mimosa Webworm" Homadaula anisocentra is a pest of ornamental plants, which has been introduced to Eastern North America.

Subfamilies in this Superfamily

None

List of Species We Have Photos and Information On

Other Moths in this Family
Image/Page Link Common Name Scientific Name
     
     
     
     

Page last edited: 19/12/2008 21:20

(c) David McCormick 2008