MOTHS OF THE GRENADINES
SPECIES LISTS BY FAMILY
Geometridae
GENERAL FAMILY DESCRIPTION
The family Geometridae - sometimes known as 'loopers' or 'inchworms'
due to the walking gait of their caterpillars - are the second largest moth
family, after the Noctuidae, with some 20,000 described species worldwide
(Holloway, Bradley and Carter 1987). They have broad, weak wings and a
generally rather feeble flight. Sizes vary from small (subfamily Sterrhinae,
with wingspans rarely exceeding 15 mm) to the 60 mm or greater wingspan
of some larger Ennominae. The family is divided into six poorly-defined
subfamilies, of which only five occur in the neotropics: the Oenochrominae
(a small subfamily of doubtful composition);
the Ennominae
(by far the largest subfamily); the Geometrinae ('Emeralds')
; the Sterrhinae ('Waves')
and the Larentiinae. Only the last four are represented in the Grenadines.
Until recently the Geometridae were
one of the most poorly catalogued neotropical moth families; however,
the recent superb world list of Geometridae produced by Scoble
(1999) has done much to remedy this. I am grateful to M. Claude
Herbulot of Paris for having looked at some of my material and for helping me
with identifications where noted (the large numbers of errors which remain
are mine and not his!)
SUBFAMILIES present in the Grenadines: (click on link to go to species list for that subfamily)
ENNOMINAE
GEOMETRINAE
STERRHINAE
LARENTIINAE
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