Academic literature on the topic 'Andesianidae'

The new family Andesianidae is proposed for the genus Andesiana, consisting of three previously described species, A. brunnea Gentili, A. lamellata Gentili and A. similis Gentili, from southern Argentina and Chile. Originally described in the ditrysian family Cossidae, Andesiana has been found to possess a monotrysian female reproductive system. The principal autapomorphies for the family are the elongate second segment of the labial palpi, presence of a male tibial pouch and associated femoral hair pencil and, within the monotrysian Heteroneura, possibly the strongly dimorphic antennae (broadly bipectinate in male, filiform in female). Other significant characters of the group include a greatly reduced haustellum, male genitalia with a broad vinculum, acuminate uncus, scutiform juxta and a pronounced saccular lobe of the valva that bears a subapical, setose appendage within a shallow, mesal cavity. The female genitalia possess a short cloaca and paired anal papillae and lack signa. Although known to be retained only in the female of A. lamellata, the presence of a two-branched Rs in the hindwing may indicate an origin of the Andesianidae basal to the Nepticuloidea. In contrast, the structure of the wing coupling apparatus for the family suggests a later appearance. Because no synapomorphy is known linking the Andesianidae with any other superfamily, the new superfamily, Andesianoidea, is proposed.

The currently recognized robust support for the monophyly of the Lepidoptera (and the superorder Amphiesmenoptera comprising Lepidoptera + Trichoptera) is outlined, and the phylogeny of the principal lineages within the order is reviewed succinctly. The state of the taxonomic inventory of Lepidoptera is discussed separately for ‘micro-moths’, ‘macro-moths’ and butterflies, three assemblages on which work has followed historically somewhat different paths. While currently there are about 160,000 described species of Lepidoptera, the total number of extant species is estimated to be around half a million. On average, just over one thousand new species of Lepidoptera have been described annually in recent years. Allowing for the new synonyms simultaneously established, the net increase in species numbers still exceeds 800/year. Most of the additions are foreseeable in the micro-moth grade, but even for butterflies ca 100 species are added annually. Examples of particularly interesting new high-rank taxa that have been described (or whose significance has become realized) since the middle of the 20th century include the non-glossatan lineages represented by Agathiphaga and Heterobathmia and the heteroneuran families Andesianidae, Palaephatidae, Hedylidae and Micronoctuidae. Some thoughts on how present and future systematic lepidopterology might be prioritised are presented.