Hepialidae (ghost moths or swifts) are, in terms of diversity and distribution, the most successful group of homoneurous primitive moths. The morphology of Fraus is described in some detail with emphasis on the adult moth, and a new interpretation of hepialid male genitalia is presented. Beyond describing and illustrating a primitive hepialid, these observations are intended to serve as reference for the study of the classification of Hepialoidea and lower Lepidoptera.In the taxonomic revision, based on more than 3000 specimens, the 25 Fraus species are described and diagnosed. The adult moths, as well as male and female genitalia, are richly illustrated, and distribution maps and flight period diagrams are provided for all species. The biology, behaviour, distribution and phylogeny are summarised and discussed.
The Hepialidae (Ghost Moths) are a family of often spectacular micro-moths. The Australian region is one of the hot spots for hepialid diversity and the fauna is divided into three groups: primitive Hepialidae with small, often overlooked species; oxycanine Hepialidae, containing the large and poorly known genus Oxycanus and its allies; and finally the hepialine Hepialidae, which span from stunning, green Splendid Ghost Moths in the genus Aenetus, to the enormous moths in the genera Zelotypia and Abantiades (which include some of the most impressive insects in the world), to smaller, drab pest species in the genus Oncopera. Splendid Ghost Moths and Their Allies is the first work to provide comprehensive information about the taxonomy, biology, diversity and morphology of all 70 Australian hepialine Hepialidae species, including the descriptions of 15 species and one genus new to science. Each species is illustrated with colour photographs of males and females and drawings of the genitalia, and the book also contains identification keys to genera and species. Distribution maps and detailed information on where each species is found are included, as well as a species richness map for the group in Australia. This book is an invaluable reference for moth enthusiasts, professional entomologists and nature conservationists alike.
This text brings together fundamental information on insect taxa, morphology, ecology, behavior, physiology, and genetics. Close relatives of insects, such as spiders and mites, are included.
A richly illustrated look at the natural history of moths Moths are among the most underappreciated insects on the planet, yet they make up the majority of some 180,000 known species of Lepidoptera. Filled with striking images, The Lives of Moths looks at the remarkable world of these amazing and beautiful creatures. While butterflies may get more press than moths, Andrei Sourakov and Rachel Warren Chadd reveal that the lopsided attention is unjust. Moths evolved long before butterflies, and their importance cannot be overestimated. From the tiniest leaf miners to exotic hawk moths that are two hundred to three hundred times larger, these creatures are often crucial pollinators of flowers, including many that bloom at night or in twilight. The authors show that moths and their larvae are the main food source for thousands of animal species, and interact with other insect, plant, and vertebrate communities in ecosystems around the world, from tropical forests and alpine meadows to deserts and wetlands. The authors also explore such topics as evolution, life cycles, methods of communication, and links to humans. A feast of remarkable facts and details, The Lives of Moths will appeal to insect lovers everywhere.
The present volume presents a revision of the Wingia group of 91 genera, a group which appears to be almost entirely endemic to Australia. Detailed information is provided on the morphology, including the genitalia of both sexes, and up-to-date data on the distribution, biology and larval food plants of the species referred to each genus. A list of the species assigned to each genus is given, with full synonymy, references to the original descriptions, label data and repository of the primary type, lectotype designations, and abbreviated distribution data. Illustrations of the adults, wing venation, and male and female genitalia of the type species are included, as well as of the heads and eggs of representative genera. A key to genera is also provided.
The introductory chapters of this book give a detailed review of the phylogeny, morphology, classification and biology of Tineidae on a worldwide scale. Detailed morphological treatment of each genus is complemented by illustrations of wing patterns, head structure and head vestiture, venation, and male and female genitalia of representative species.
Brings together exciting accounts of life history strategies of a range of species, as well as background information on general butterfly behaviour, taxonomy and evolutionary aspects.
Covering 100 years of zoological research, the Handbook of Zoology represents a vast store of knowledge. Handbook of Zoology provides an in-depth treatment of the entire animal kingdom covering both invertebrates and vertebrates. It publishes comprehensive overviews on animal systematics and morphology and covers extensively further aspects like physiology, behavior, ecology and applied zoological research. Although our knowledge regarding many taxonomic groups has grown enormously over the last decades, it is still the objective of the Handbook of Zoology to be comprehensive in the sense that text and references together provide a solid basis for further research. Editors and authors seek a balance between describing species richness and diversity, explaining the importance of certain groups in a phylogenetic context and presenting a review of available knowledge and up-to-date references. New contributions to the series present the combined effort of an international team of editors and authors, entirely published in English and tailored to the needs of the international scientific community. Upcoming volumes and projects in progress include volumes on Annelida (Volumes 1-3), Bryozoa, Mammalia, Miscellaneous Invertebrates, Nannomecoptera, Neomecoptera and Strepsiptera and are followed later by fishes, reptiles and further volumes on mammals. Background The renowned German reference work Handbook of Zoology was founded in the 1920's by Professor Willi Kükenthal in Berlin and treated the complete animal kingdom from single cell organisms to mammals in eight thematic volumes: Volume I Protozoa, Porifera, Colenteratea, Mesozoa (1925); Volume II Vermes (1933/34); Volume III Arthropoda ex. Insecta (1927/1932); Volume IV Arthropoda: Insecta; Volume V Solenogastres, Mollusca, Echinoderma (1925); Volume VI Pisces / Amphibia (1930); Volume VII Reptilia / Aves (1931); Volume VIII Mammalia. The Volumes IV Arthropoda: Insecta and VII Mammalia continued publication into the present with the most recent contributions in English language. Adapting to the accelerating speed of scientific discovery in the past decades the Handbook of Zoology entered a next phase in 2010. In the new edition of the Handbook of Zoology, the original eight thematic volumes gave way for smaller and more flexible groupings that reflect the current state of phylogenetic knowledge. All subsequent volumes were published in print as well as e-book format. The Handbook of Zoology is additionally offered as a database, the Handbook of Zoology Online, which can easily be searched and rapidly updated. Original Handbook material (ca. 28 000 pages) has been reordered along taxonomic (instead of bibliographical) categories and forms the historical basis of this Online Reference Work. As a living Online Reference, the content is continuously updated and new content added. The material can be accessed through taxonomic and subject categories as well as free text, with a diversity of linking and search options. Faster publication times through online-first publication, reference- and cross-linking, and make the Handbook of Zoology highly attractive to both authors and users.
A comprehensive english-language reference work on morphology, physiology and development of the moths and butterflies of the world. Written by a truly international team of specialists, the overall level of expertise of the book is unsurpassed, and several chapters present substantial amounts of original information. The book is richly illustrated, and all chapters have extensive bibliographies. Volume I has been published in 1998 and covers the evolution, systematics and biogeography of Lepidoptera. The goal of both volumes is to provide an overview of the current state of knowledge of this outstandingly important insect group.
