MOTHS OF JAMAICA
SPECIES LISTS BY FAMILY
Geometridae
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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 Ennominae
(by far the largest subfamily); the Geometrinae ('Emeralds'); the
Oenochrominae (a small subfamily of doubtful composition); the Sterrhinae ('Waves')
and the Larentiinae. All five are represented in Jamaica. 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 Jamaica: (click on link to go to species list for that subfamily)
OENOCHROMINAE
ENNOMINAE
GEOMETRINAE
STERRHINAE
LARENTIINAE
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