MOTHS OF BELIZE
SPECIES LISTS BY FAMILY
16. Lymantriidae
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The Lymantriidae ('Tussock Moths') are a medium-sized family
of about 2,000 species worldwide. Most are found in the tropics of the Old World.
The resting position of the adult is characteristic, with the hairy forelegs
extended and the wings humped up over the head in a disconcerting impersonation
of a spider. Lymantriids have broad wings and the overall appearance in flight
is quite feeble and reminiscent of a Geometrid, even though various anatomical
features show that this family is more closely related to the Noctuids.
The adult has no mouthparts, and hence cannot feed, and possesses
characteristic massive pectination ('feathering') of the antennae.
Most are small to medium-sized moths and rarely exceed 25 mm in
wingspan. The females of this family are often flightless, with
very small or non-existent wings and sit on tree trunks waiting
for a mate. Lymantriid larvae are extremely hairy, with the hairs
often arranged in a characteristic 'toothbrush' of a dorsal row of
four tufts, and often possess urticating hairs which can cause extreme
allergic reactions on human skin. Urticating hairs can also be present
on the abdominal tip of the female, where they are shed onto the eggs as
they are laid as protection from predators.
Considerable damage can be done, particularly to forestry planatations,
by Lymantriid larvae, which are often gregarious and consume a wide range
of leaf types. Temperate examples include the destructive 'Gypsy Moth'
Orgyia dispar which annually destroys millions of dollars worth of
timber-producing trees in North America, as well as several tropical
cocoa pests. Although the adults are almost all uniform dark brown or
pearly white in coloration the larvae are often brightly coloured and
easier to identify than the adult.
I have collected five species in
Belize to date, of which I can provisionally identify two, as listed. Please
click on any underlined species name to go to a colour
illustration of the adult (and sometimes its genitalia) and brief
information on the species
Thagola persimilis (?) Draudt, manuscript name in Seitz (1925)
Caviria vinasia Schaus in Seitz (1925)
Genus & species indet. 1
Genus & species indet. 2
Genus & species indet. 3
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