MOTHS OF JAMAICA
SPECIES LISTS BY FAMILY
Arctiidae

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GENERAL FAMILY DESCRIPTION
The Arctiidae ('Tiger Moths') are a large family of some 11,000 species worldwide, of which about 6,000 occur in the neotropics (Scoble 1992). They are characterised by their generally bright 'warning coloration' (usually orange, yellow or red) and bodily toxicity which protects them from natural predators and makes them popular with human collectors. The family is conventionally divided into four subfamilies: the Arctiinae; the Ctenuchinae; the Pericopinae and the Lithosiinae. Some authorities elevate some of these into families in their own right. Several species (such as Utetheisa ornatrix) are day-flying and are often mistaken by the layman as butterflies.

The New World Arctiinae are a colourful group and are hence popular with collectors and relatively well documented. Watson & Goodger's work (1986) catalogues all of the known species of Arctiinae and Pericopinae from the Neotropics, and illustrations of large numbers of species may be found in Hampson (1900, 1901, 1920) and Seitz (1925).

SUBFAMILIES present in Jamaica: (click on link to go to species list for that subfamily)

  • ARCTIINAE
  • CTENUCHINAE
  • PERICOPINAE
  • LITHOSIINAE

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