MOTHS OF THE GRENADINES
SPECIES LISTS BY FAMILY
Notodontidae
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GENERAL FAMILY DESCRIPTION
Even though the family contains only some
3,200 medium-sized
species worldwide, by far the largest number of these are found in the New World
Tropics. Notodontids - like Noctuids - are generally sombre grey or brown
in appearance with long, tapered wings. However, the abdomens of Notodontids
tend to be longer in proportion to wing size than in Noctuids.
Many Notodontids continue the forewing pattern onto the front edge of the
hindwing, which is not covered by the forewing at rest. Notodontids are
technically separated as a 'natural' grouping of truly related species
by their possession of serrated edges on the tips of the tibial spurs,
among other features. There has been no modern review
of the species of this group, except in part, since the work of Draudt
in Seitz (1925), and Gaede (1934), although Miller (1991) analyses
the overall generic and higher classification of the group.
Several 'subfamilies' (such as the Doinae and
Dioptinae - neither of which is present in the Eastern Caribbean) are elevated to families in their own right
by some authors
GRENADINES SPECIES
I have catalogued one species of this subfamily from the Grenadines so far, as listed below.
Please click on the underlined species name to go to a colour
illustration of the adult and brief information on
the species.
The genus Nystalea
Nystalea ebalea Cramer 1779
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