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85-550: Aglossata Glossata Heterobathmiina Zeugloptera Lepidoptera ( / ˌ l ɛ p ɪ ˈ d ɒ p t ər ə / LEP -ih- DOP -tər-ə ) or lepidopterans is an order of winged insects which includes butterflies and moths . About 180,000 species of the Lepidoptera have been described, representing 10% of the total described species of living organisms, making it the second largest insect order (behind Coleoptera ) with 126 families and 46 superfamilies , and one of

170-574: A chrysalis , has a hard skin, usually with no cocoon. Once the pupa has completed its metamorphosis, a sexually mature adult emerges. Lepidopterans first appeared in fossil record in the Triassic - Jurassic boundary and have coevolved with flowering plants since the angiosperm boom in the Middle / Late Cretaceous . They show many variations of the basic body structure that have evolved to gain advantages in lifestyle and distribution. Recent estimates suggest

255-532: A food web , which are non-linear and depict interconnecting pathways of consumption and energy transfer . Food chain models typically predict that communities are controlled by predators at the top and plants ( autotrophs or producers) at the bottom. Thus, the foundation of the food chain typically consists of primary producers . Primary producers, or autotrophs , utilize energy derived from either sunlight or inorganic chemical compounds to create complex organic compounds, such as starch, for energy. Because

340-513: A larva , a pupa , and an imago or adult. The larvae are commonly called caterpillars , and the pupae of moths encapsulated in silk are called cocoons , while the uncovered pupae of butterflies are called chrysalides . Unless the species reproduces year-round, a butterfly or moth may enter diapause , a state of dormancy that allows the insect to survive unfavorable environmental conditions. Males usually start eclosion (emergence) earlier than females and peak in numbers before females. Both of

425-756: A divergence of a species into different morphs. A good example is the Indian white admiral Limenitis procris , which has five forms, each geographically separated from the other by large mountain ranges. An even more dramatic showcase of geographical polymorphism is the Apollo butterfly ( Parnassius apollo ). Because the Apollos live in small local populations, thus having no contact with each other, coupled with their strong stenotopic nature and weak migration ability, interbreeding between populations of one species practically does not occur; by this, they form over 600 different morphs, with

510-406: A few that have reduced wings or are wingless. Mating and the laying of eggs is normally performed near or on host plants for the larvae . Like most other insects, butterflies and moths are holometabolous , meaning they undergo complete metamorphosis . The larvae are commonly called caterpillars , and are completely different from their adult moth or butterfly forms, having a cylindrical body with

595-482: A food chain depends on the energy first consumed by the primary producers. This energy then moves through the trophic levels. Food Chains were first discussed by al-Jahiz , a 10th century Arab philosopher. The modern concepts of food chains and food webs were introduced by Charles Elton . A food chain differs from a food web as a food chain follows a direct linear pathway of consumption and energy transfer. Natural interconnections between food chains make

680-478: A food chain is a continuous variable providing a measure of the passage of energy and an index of ecological structure that increases through the linkages from the lowest to the highest trophic (feeding) levels. Food chains are directional paths of trophic energy or, equivalently, sequences of links that start with basal species, such as producers or fine organic matter, and end with consumer organisms. Food chains are often used in ecological modeling (such as

765-489: A food chain within said ecosystem. Sea otters, a keystone species in Pacific coastal regions, prey on sea urchins. Without the presence of sea otters, sea urchins practice destructive grazing on kelp populations which contributes to declines in coastal ecosystems within the northern pacific regions. The presence of sea otters controls sea urchin populations and helps maintain kelp forests, which are vital for other species within

850-451: A food chain, except the first organism, are consumers. Secondary consumers eat and obtain energy from primary consumers, tertiary consumers eat and obtain energy from secondary consumers, etc. At the highest trophic level is typically an apex predator , a consumer with no natural predators in the food chain model. When any trophic level dies, detritivores and decomposers consume their organic material for energy and expel nutrients into

935-491: A form of acoustic courtship, or attract mates using sound or vibration such as the polka-dot wasp moth, Syntomeida epilais . Adaptations include undergoing one seasonal generation, two or even more, called voltinism (Univoltism, bivoltism, and multivism, respectively). Most lepidopterans in temperate climates are univoltine, while in tropical climates most have two seasonal broods. Some others may take advantage of any opportunity they can get, and mate continuously throughout

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1020-471: A number of micropyles , or tiny funnel-shaped openings at one end, the purpose of which is to allow sperm to enter and fertilize the egg. Butterfly and moth eggs vary greatly in size between species, but they are all either spherical or ovate. The egg stage lasts a few weeks in most butterflies, but eggs laid prior to winter, especially in temperate regions , go through diapause , and hatching may be delayed until spring. Other butterflies may lay their eggs in

1105-464: A pair of legs on each segment. The thorax is also lined with many spiracles on both the mesothorax and metathorax, except for a few aquatic species, which instead have a form of gills . The abdomen, which is less sclerotized than the thorax, consists of 10 segments with membranes in between, allowing for articulated movement. The sternum, on the first segment, is small in some families and is completely absent in others. The last two or three segments form

1190-432: A population of a particular species. Polymorphism occurs both at specific level with heritable variation in the overall morphological adaptations of individuals, as well as in certain specific morphological or physiological traits within a species. Environmental polymorphism, in which traits are not inherited, is often termed as polyphenism, which in Lepidoptera is commonly seen in the form of seasonal morphs, especially in

1275-431: A population, but also between the sexes as sexual dimorphism , between geographically separated populations in geographical polymorphism , and between generations flying at different seasons of the year ( seasonal polymorphism or polyphenism ). In some species, the polymorphism is limited to one sex, typically the female. This often includes the phenomenon of mimicry when mimetic morphs fly alongside nonmimetic morphs in

1360-414: A producer, which is eaten by a primary consumer. The primary consumer may be eaten by a secondary consumer, which in turn may be consumed by a tertiary consumer. The tertiary consumers may sometimes become prey to the top predators known as the quaternary consumers. For example, a food chain might start with a green plant as the producer, which is eaten by a snail, the primary consumer. The snail might then be

1445-444: A salad than an animal which ate lettuce. A keystone species is a singular species within an ecosystem that others within the same ecosystem, or the entire ecosystem itself, rely upon. Keystone species' are so vital for an ecosystem that without their presence, an ecosystem could transform or stop existing entirely. One way keystone species impact an ecosystem is through their presence in an ecosystem's food web and, by extension,

1530-480: A separate organ for mating, and an external duct that carries the sperm from the male. The abdomen of the caterpillar has four pairs of prolegs, normally located on the third to sixth segments of the abdomen, and a separate pair of prolegs by the anus, which have a pair of tiny hooks called crotchets. These aid in gripping and walking, especially in species that lack many prolegs (e. g. larvae of Geometridae ). In some basal moths, these prolegs may be on every segment of

1615-446: A three-species food chain). They are simplified abstractions of real food webs, but complex in their dynamics and mathematical implications. In its simplest form, the length of a chain is the number of links between a trophic consumer and the base of the web. The mean chain length of an entire web is the arithmetic average of the lengths of all chains in the food web. The food chain is an energy source diagram. The food chain begins with

1700-405: A variety of plants e. g., hepialids and some nymphalids ) while most lay their eggs near or on the host plant on which the larvae feed. The number of eggs laid may vary from only a few to several thousand. The females of both butterflies and moths select the host plant instinctively, and primarily, by chemical cues. The eggs are derived from materials ingested as a larva and in some species, from

1785-418: A very short period of time. Many moth and butterfly species are of economic interest by virtue of their role as pollinators, the silk in their cocoon, or for extermination as pest species. The term Lepidoptera was used in 1746 by Carl Linnaeus in his Fauna Svecica . The word is derived from Greek λεπίς lepís , gen. λεπίδος lepídos (" scale ") and πτερόν ("wing"). Sometimes,

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1870-452: A well-developed head, mandible mouth parts, three pairs of thoracic legs and from none up to five pairs of prolegs . As they grow, these larvae change in appearance, going through a series of stages called instars . Once fully matured, the larva develops into a pupa . A few butterflies and many moth species spin a silk casing or cocoon for protection prior to pupating, while others do not, instead going underground. A butterfly pupa, called

1955-488: A wingspan greater than 25 centimetres (9.8 in), such as the Queen Alexandra's birdwing and Atlas moth . Lepidopterans undergo a four-stage life cycle : egg ; larva or caterpillar ; pupa or chrysalis ; and imago (plural: imagines) / adult and show many variations of the basic body structure, which give these animals advantages for diverse lifestyles and environments. The head is where many sensing organs and

2040-477: A year; however, some species may take up to 3 years to develop, and exceptional examples like Gynaephora groenlandica take as long as seven years. The larval stage is where the feeding and growing stages occur, and the larvae periodically undergo hormone-induced ecdysis , developing further with each instar , until they undergo the final larval-pupal molt. The larvae of both butterflies and moths exhibit mimicry to deter potential predators. Some caterpillars have

2125-495: Is advertised using bright red, orange, black, or white warning colors. The toxic chemicals in plants are often evolved specifically to prevent them from being eaten by insects. Insects, in turn, develop countermeasures or make use of these toxins for their own survival. This "arms race" has led to the coevolution of insects and their host plants. No form of wing is externally visible on the larva, but when larvae are dissected, developing wings can be seen as disks, which can be found on

2210-420: Is an internal parasite of the coccid Kermes species. Many species have been recorded as breeding in natural materials or refuse such as owl pellets, bat caves, honeycombs or diseased fruit. As of 2007, there were roughly 174,250 lepidopteran species described, with butterflies and skippers estimated to comprise around 17,950, and moths making up the rest. The vast majority of Lepidoptera are to be found in

2295-727: Is found from Fiji to Vanuatu and the Solomon Islands , and its larvae feed on Agathis vitiensis . A fossil member of Agathiphagidae, Agathiphagama , is known from the Burmese amber of Myanmar, dating to the early Cenomanian stage of the Late Cretaceous , approximately 99 million years ago. This moth -related article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Food chain Food chain studies play an important role in many biological studies. Food chain stability

2380-532: Is found in the Arctic Circle in northeastern Yakutia , at an altitude of 1,500 metres (4,900 ft) above sea level. In the Himalayas , various Apollo species such as Parnassius epaphus have been recorded to occur up to an altitude of 6,000 metres (20,000 ft) above sea level. Some lepidopteran species exhibit symbiotic , phoretic , or parasitic lifestyles, inhabiting the bodies of organisms rather than

2465-465: Is important because the amount of energy transferred decreases as trophic level increases; generally only ten percent of the total energy at one trophic level is passed to the next, as the remainder is used in the metabolic process . There are usually no more than five tropic levels in a food chain. Humans are able to receive more energy by going back a level in the chain and consuming the food before, for example getting more energy per pound from consuming

2550-433: Is lost in current butterflies and moths. Instead, all the digestive enzymes, other than initial digestion, are immobilized at the surface of the midgut cells. In larvae, long-necked and stalked goblet cells are found in the anterior and posterior midgut regions, respectively. In insects, the goblet cells excrete positive potassium ions, which are absorbed from leaves ingested by the larvae. Most butterflies and moths display

2635-399: Is made of three fused segments, the prothorax , mesothorax , and metathorax , each with a pair of legs. The first segment contains the first pair of legs. In some males of the butterfly family Nymphalidae , the forelegs are greatly reduced and are not used for walking or perching. The three pairs of legs are covered with scales. Lepidoptera also have olfactory organs on their feet, which aid

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2720-483: Is transferred to the rest of the body when conditions are unfavorable. In lepidopteran species, hemolymph is circulated through the veins in the wings by some form of pulsating organ, either by the heart or by the intake of air into the trachea . Air is taken in through spiracles along the sides of the abdomen and thorax supplying the trachea with oxygen as it goes through the lepidopteran's respiratory system . Three different tracheaes supply and diffuse oxygen throughout

2805-450: Is very important for the survival of most species. When only one element is removed from the food chain it can result in extinction or immense decreases of survival of a species. Many food chains and food webs contain a keystone species , a species that has a large impact on the surrounding environment and that can directly affect the food chain. If a keystone species is removed it can set the entire food chain off balance. The efficiency of

2890-490: The ability to inflate parts of their heads to appear snake-like. Many have false eye-spots to enhance this effect. Some caterpillars have special structures called osmeteria (family Papilionidae ), which are exposed to produce smelly chemicals used in defense. Host plants often have toxic substances in them, and caterpillars are able to sequester these substances and retain them into the adult stage. This helps make them unpalatable to birds and other predators. Such unpalatability

2975-422: The adult head and thorax are found cased inside the cuticle ( antennae , mouthparts , etc.), with the wings wrapped around, adjacent to the antennae. The pupae of some species have functional mandibles, while the pupal mandibles are not functional in others. Although the pupal cuticle is highly sclerotized, some of the lower abdominal segments are not fused, and are able to move using small muscles found in between

3060-482: The adults, a situation more often seen in aquatic and amphibious environments, e.g., in insects and fishes. This complexity was denominated metaphoetesis by G. E. Hutchinson , 1959. Ecologists have formulated and tested hypotheses regarding the nature of ecological patterns associated with food chain length, such as length increasing with ecosystem volume, limited by the reduction of energy at each successive level, or reflecting habitat type. Food chain length

3145-441: The anterior region of the foregut has been modified to form a pharyngeal sucking pump as they need it for the food they eat, which are for the most part liquids. An esophagus follows and leads to the posterior of the pharynx and in some species forms a form of crop. The midgut is short and straight, with the hindgut being longer and coiled. Ancestors of lepidopteran species, stemming from Hymenoptera , had midgut ceca, although this

3230-543: The base of the food chain in regions with little to no sunlight. Regardless of where the energy is obtained, a species that produces its own energy lies at the base of the food chain model, and is a critically important part of an ecosystem. Higher trophic levels cannot produce their own energy and so must consume producers or other life that itself consumes producers. In the higher trophic levels lies consumers ( secondary consumers , tertiary consumers , etc.). Consumers are organisms that eat other organisms. All organisms in

3315-509: The body, while prolegs may be completely absent in other groups, which are more adapted to boring and living in sand (e. g., Prodoxidae and Nepticulidae , respectively). The wings, head, and parts of the thorax and abdomen of Lepidoptera are covered with minute scales, a feature from which the order derives its name. Most scales are lamellar , or blade-like, and attached with a pedicel, while other forms may be hair-like or specialized as secondary sexual characteristics. The lumen or surface of

3400-452: The butterfly families of Nymphalidae and Pieridae . An Old World pierid butterfly, the common grass yellow ( Eurema hecabe ) has a darker summer adult morph, triggered by a long day exceeding 13 hours in duration, while the shorter diurnal period of 12 hours or less induces a paler morph in the postmonsoon period. Polyphenism also occurs in caterpillars, an example being the peppered moth, Biston betularia . Geographical isolation causes

3485-646: The butterfly in "tasting" or "smelling" out its food. In the larval form there are 3 pairs of true legs, with up to 11 pairs of abdominal legs (usually eight) and hooklets, called apical crochets. The two pairs of wings are found on the middle and third segments, or mesothorax and metathorax , respectively. In the more recent genera, the wings of the second segment are much more pronounced, although some more primitive forms have similarly sized wings of both segments. The wings are covered in scales arranged like shingles, which form an extraordinary variety of colors and patterns. The mesothorax has more powerful muscles to propel

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3570-558: The card indices in the Natural History Museum (London) and the National Museum of Natural History (Washington), and partly on estimates: Lepidoptera are morphologically distinguished from other orders principally by the presence of scales on the external parts of the body and appendages, especially the wings . Butterflies and moths vary in size from microlepidoptera only a few millimeters long, to conspicuous animals with

3655-429: The environment in their waste. Decomposers and detritivores break down the organic compounds into simple nutrients that are returned to the soil. These are the simple nutrients that plants require to create organic compounds. It is estimated that there are more than 100,000 different decomposers in existence. Models of trophic levels also often model energy transfer between trophic levels. Primary consumers get energy from

3740-478: The environment. Coprophagous pyralid moth species, called sloth moths , such as Bradipodicola hahneli and Cryptoses choloepi , are unusual in that they are exclusively found inhabiting the fur of sloths , mammals found in Central and South America . Two species of Tinea moths have been recorded as feeding on horny tissue and have been bred from the horns of cattle. The larva of Zenodochium coccivorella

3825-477: The external parts of the species' sex organs. The genitalia of Lepidoptera are highly varied and are often the only means of differentiating between species. Male genitals include a valva , which is usually large, as it is used to grasp the female during mating. Female genitalia include three distinct sections. The females of basal moths have only one sex organ, which is used for copulation and as an ovipositor , or egg-laying organ. About 98% of moth species have

3910-462: The family Micropterigidae . The larvae, called caterpillars , have a toughened head capsule. Caterpillars lack the proboscis and have separate chewing mouthparts . These mouthparts, called mandibles , are used to chew up the plant matter that the larvae eat. The lower jaw, or labium, is weak, but may carry a spinneret , an organ used to create silk. The head is made of large lateral lobes, each having an ellipse of up to six simple eyes. The thorax

3995-467: The fused segments of the sterna 9 and 10, which act as insemination and oviposition. In the exoporian type (in Hepialoidea and Mnesarchaeoidea ) are two separate places for insemination and oviposition, both occurring on the same sterna as the monotrysian type, i.e. 9 and 10. The ditrysian groups have an internal duct that carries sperm, with separate openings for copulation and egg-laying. In most species,

4080-401: The genitalia are flanked by two soft lobes, although they may be specialized and sclerotized in some species for ovipositing in area such as crevices and inside plant tissue. Hormones and the glands that produce them run the development of butterflies and moths as they go through their life cycles, called the endocrine system . The first insect hormone prothoracicotropic hormone (PTTH) operates

4165-430: The lamella has a complex structure. It gives color either by colored pigments it contains, or through structural coloration with mechanisms that include photonic crystals and diffraction gratings . Scales function in insulation, thermoregulation, producing pheromones ( in males only ), and aiding gliding flight, but the most important is the large diversity of vivid or indistinct patterns they provide, which help

4250-400: The legs and wings undergo growth. After finding a suitable place, the animal sheds its last larval cuticle, revealing the pupal cuticle underneath. Depending on the species, the pupa may be covered in a silk cocoon, attached to different types of substrates, buried in the ground, or may not be covered at all. Features of the imago are externally recognizable in the pupa. All the appendages on

4335-485: The male that mated most recently with the female is most likely to have fertilized the eggs, but the sperm from a prior mating may still prevail. Lepidoptera usually reproduce sexually and are oviparous (egg-laying), though some species exhibit live birth in a process called ovoviviparity . A variety of differences in egg -laying and the number of eggs laid occur. Some species simply drop their eggs in flight (these species normally have polyphagous larvae, meaning they eat

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4420-496: The membrane. Moving may help the pupa, for example, escape the sun, which would otherwise kill it. The pupa of the Mexican jumping bean moth ( Cydia saltitans ) does this. The larvae cut a trapdoor in the bean (species of Sebastiania ) and use the bean as a shelter. With a sudden rise in temperature, the pupa inside twitches and jerks, pulling on the threads inside. Wiggling may also help to deter parasitoid wasps from laying eggs on

4505-475: The most primitive moth families are used to escape from their cocoon (e. g., Micropterigoidea ). Aglossata Agathiphaga is a genus of moths , known as kauri moths. and is the only living genus in the family Agathiphagidae . This caddisfly -like lineage of primitive moths was first reported by Lionel Jack Dumbleton in 1952, as a new genus of Micropterigidae . The caterpillars feed only on "kauri" ( Agathis ) and are currently considered

4590-481: The most successful groups of insects. They are found on all continents, except Antarctica , and inhabit all terrestrial habitats ranging from desert to rainforest, from lowland grasslands to mountain plateaus, but almost always associated with higher plants, especially angiosperms ( flowering plants ). Among the most northern dwelling species of butterflies and moths is the Arctic Apollo ( Parnassius arcticus ), which

4675-475: The most widespread and widely recognizable insect orders in the world. Lepidopteran species are characterized by more than three derived features. The most apparent is the presence of scales that cover the bodies , large triangular wings , and a proboscis for siphoning nectars . The scales are modified, flattened "hairs", and give butterflies and moths their wide variety of colors and patterns. Almost all species have some form of membranous wings, except for

4760-508: The moth or butterfly through the air, with the wing of this segment (forewing) having a stronger vein structure. The largest superfamily, the Noctuoidea , has their wings modified to act as tympanal or hearing organs . The caterpillar has an elongated, soft body that may have hair-like or other projections, three pairs of true legs, with none to 11 pairs of abdominal legs (usually eight) and hooklets, called apical crochets. The thorax usually has

4845-452: The mouth parts are found. Like the adult, the larva also has a toughened, or sclerotized head capsule. Here, two compound eyes , and chaetosema , raised spots or clusters of sensory bristles unique to Lepidoptera, occur, though many taxa have lost one or both of these spots. The antennae have a wide variation in form among species and even between different sexes. The antennae of butterflies are usually filiform and shaped like clubs, those of

4930-493: The natural ecosystem as pollinators and serve as primary consumers in the food chain ; conversely, their larvae (caterpillars) are considered very problematic to vegetation in agriculture, as they consume large quantity of plant matter (mostly foliage ) to sustain growth. In many species, the female may produce from 200 to 600 eggs, while in others, the number may approach 30,000 eggs in one day. The caterpillars hatching from these eggs can cause significant damage to crops within

5015-421: The order may have more species than earlier thought, and is among the five most species-rich orders (each with over 100,000 species) along with Coleoptera (beetles), Diptera (flies), Hymenoptera ( ants , bees , wasps and sawflies ) and Hemiptera ( cicadas , aphids and other true bugs). They have, over millions of years, evolved a wide range of wing patterns and coloration ranging from drab moths akin to

5100-400: The organism protect itself by camouflage or mimicry , and which act as signals to other animals including rivals and potential mates . In the reproductive system of butterflies and moths , the male genitalia are complex and unclear. In females the three types of genitalia are based on the relating taxa: 'monotrysian', 'exoporian', and 'ditrysian'. In the monotrysian type is an opening on

5185-579: The origin is unknown, although it could be derived from the pale yellow color of many species' wings suggesting the color of butter. The species of Heterocera are commonly called moths . The origins of the English word moth are clearer, deriving from Old English moððe (cf. Northumbrian dialect mohðe ) from Common Germanic (compare Old Norse motti , Dutch mot and German Motte all meaning "moth"). Perhaps its origins are related to Old English maða meaning " maggot " or from

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5270-586: The plant and are normally considered pests to their host plants; some species have been found to lay their eggs on the fruit and other species lay their eggs on clothing or fur (e. g., Tineola bisselliella , the common clothes moth). Some species are carnivorous, and others are even parasitic. Some lycaenid species such as Phengaris rebeli are social parasites of Myrmica ant nests. A species of Geometridae from Hawaii has carnivorous larvae that catch and eat flies. Some pyralid caterpillars are aquatic. The larvae develop rapidly with several generations in

5355-399: The prey of a secondary consumer such as a frog, which itself may be eaten by a tertiary consumer such as a snake which in turn may be consumed by an eagle. This simple view of a food chain with fixed trophic levels within a species -species A is eaten by species B, B is eaten by C…- is often contrasted by the real situation in which the juveniles of a species belong to a lower trophic level than

5440-449: The producer and pass it to the secondary and tertiary consumers. Food chains are vital in ecotoxicology studies, which trace the pathways and biomagnification of environmental contaminants . It is also necessary to consider interactions amongst different trophic levels to predict community dynamics; food chains are often the base level for theory development of trophic levels and community/ ecosystem investigations. The length of

5525-412: The pupa. Other species of moths are able to make clicks to deter predators. The length of time before the pupa ecloses (emerges) varies greatly. The monarch butterfly may stay in its chrysalis for two weeks, while other species may need to stay for more than 10 months in diapause. The adult emerges from the pupa either by using abdominal hooks or from projections located on the head. The mandibles found in

5610-492: The related order Trichoptera , to the brightly colored and complex-patterned butterflies. Accordingly, this is the most recognized and popular of insect orders with many people involved in the observation, study, collection, rearing of, and commerce in these insects. A person who collects or studies this order is referred to as a lepidopterist . Butterflies and moths are mostly herbivorous ( folivorous ) as caterpillars and nectarivorous as adults. They play an important role in

5695-463: The root of " midge ", which until the 16th century was used mostly to indicate the larva, usually in reference to devouring clothes. The etymological origins of the word "caterpillar", the larval form of butterflies and moths, are from the early 16th century, from Middle English catirpel , catirpeller , probably an alteration of Old North French catepelose (from Latin cattus , "cat" + pilosus , "hairy"). The Lepidoptera are among

5780-623: The same time. Polymorphic and/or mimetic females occur in the case of some taxa in the Papilionidae primarily to obtain a level of protection not available to the male of their species. The most distinct case of sexual dimorphism is that of adult females of many Psychidae species which have only vestigial wings, legs, and mouthparts as compared to the adult males that are strong fliers with well-developed wings and feathery antennae. Species of Lepidoptera undergo holometabolism or "complete metamorphosis". Their life cycle normally consists of an egg ,

5865-481: The sclerites, mandibles (mouthparts) for chewing, and a soft tubular, segmented body, that may have hair-like or other projections, three pairs of true legs, and additional prolegs (up to five pairs). The body consists of thirteen segments, of which three are thoracic and ten are abdominal. Most larvae are herbivores , but a few are carnivores (some eat ants or other caterpillars) and detritivores . Different herbivorous species have adapted to feed on every part of

5950-449: The second and third thoracic segments, in place of the spiracles that are apparent on abdominal segments. Wing disks develop in association with a trachea that runs along the base of the wing, and are surrounded by a thin peripodial membrane, which is linked to the outer epidermis of the larva by a tiny duct. Wing disks are very small until the last larval instar, when they increase dramatically in size, are invaded by branching tracheae from

6035-482: The second most primitive living lineage of moths after Micropterigoidea . The larvae have been reported to be able to survive for 12 years in diapause , durability possibly a prerequisite to its possible dispersion around the Pacific islands in the seeds of Agathis . Dumbleton described two species. Agathiphaga queenslandensis is found along the north-eastern coast of Queensland , Australia , and its larvae feed on Agathis robusta . Agathiphaga vitiensis

6120-499: The sexes are sexually mature by the time of eclosion. Butterflies and moths normally do not associate with each other, except for migrating species, staying relatively asocial. Mating begins with an adult (female or male) attracting a mate, normally using visual stimuli, especially in diurnal species like most butterflies. However, the females of most nocturnal species, including almost all moth species, use pheromones to attract males, sometimes from long distances. Some species engage in

6205-791: The size of spots on the wings of which varies greatly. Sexual dimorphism is the occurrence of differences between males and females in a species. In Lepidoptera, it is widespread and almost completely set by genetic determination. Sexual dimorphism is present in all families of the Papilionoidea and more prominent in the Lycaenidae , Pieridae , and certain taxa of the Nymphalidae . Apart from color variation, which may differ from slight to completely different color-pattern combinations, secondary sexual characteristics may also be present. Different genotypes maintained by natural selection may also be expressed at

6290-540: The skippers are hooked, while those of moths have flagellar segments variously enlarged or branched. Some moths have enlarged antennae or ones that are tapered and hooked at the ends. The maxillary galeae are modified and form an elongated proboscis . The proboscis consists of one to five segments, usually kept coiled up under the head by small muscles when it is not being used to suck up nectar from flowers or other liquids. Some basal moths still have mandibles , or separate moving jaws, like their ancestors, and these form

6375-417: The species life cycle and diapause . This hormone is produced by corpora allata and corpora cardiaca , where it is also stored. Some glands are specialized to perform certain task such as producing silk or producing saliva in the palpi. While the corpora cardiaca produce PTTH, the corpora allata also produces juvenile hormones, and the prothorocic glands produce moulting hormones. In the digestive system ,

6460-434: The species' bodies. The dorsal tracheae supply oxygen to the dorsal musculature and vessels, while the ventral tracheae supply the ventral musculature and nerve cord, and the visceral tracheae supply the guts, fat bodies, and gonads. Polymorphism is the appearance of forms or "morphs", which differ in color and number of attributes within a single species. In Lepidoptera, polymorphism can be seen not only between individuals in

6545-408: The spermatophores received from males during mating. An egg can only be 1/1000 the mass of the female, yet she may lay up to her own mass in eggs. Females lay smaller eggs as they age. Larger females lay larger eggs. The egg is covered by a hard-ridged protective outer layer of shell, called the chorion . It is lined with a thin coating of wax , which prevents the egg from drying out. Each egg contains

6630-429: The spring and have them hatch in the summer. These butterflies are usually temperate species (e. g. Nymphalis antiopa ). The larvae or caterpillars are the first stage in the life cycle after hatching. Caterpillars are "characteristic polypod larvae with cylindrical bodies, short thoracic legs, and abdominal prolegs (pseudopods)". They have a sclerotized head capsule with an adfrontal suture formed by medial fusion of

6715-564: The sun's light is necessary for photosynthesis , most life could not exist if the sun disappeared. Even so, it has recently been discovered that there are some forms of life, chemotrophs , that appear to gain all their metabolic energy from chemosynthesis driven by hydrothermal vents , thus showing that some life may not require solar energy to thrive. Chemosynthetic bacteria and archaea use hydrogen sulfide and methane from hydrothermal vents and cold seeps as an energy source (just as plants use sunlight) to produce carbohydrates; they form

6800-527: The term Rhopalocera is used for the clade of all butterfly species, derived from the Ancient Greek ῥόπαλον ( rhopalon ) and κέρας ( keras ) meaning "club" and "horn", respectively, coming from the shape of the antennae of butterflies. The origins of the common names "butterfly" and "moth" are varied and often obscure. The English word butterfly is from Old English buttorfleoge , with many variations in spelling. Other than that,

6885-402: The tropics, but substantial diversity exists on most continents. North America has over 700 species of butterflies and over 11,000 species of moths, while about 400 species of butterflies and 14,000 species of moths are reported from Australia. The diversity of Lepidoptera in each faunal region has been estimated by John Heppner in 1991 based partly on actual counts from the literature, partly on

6970-442: The usual digestive cycle, but species with different diets require adaptations to meet these new demands. Some, like the luna moth , exhibit no digestive system whatsoever; they survive as adults from stored energy consumed as larvae and live for no longer than 7-10 days. In the circulatory system , hemolymph , or insect blood, is used to circulate heat in a form of thermoregulation , where muscles contraction produces heat, which

7055-440: The wing base that precede the formation of the wing veins and begin to develop patterns associated with several landmarks of the wing. Near pupation, the wings are forced outside the epidermis under pressure from the hemolymph , and although they are initially quite flexible and fragile, by the time the pupa breaks free of the larval cuticle, they have adhered tightly to the outer cuticle of the pupa (in obtect pupae). Within hours,

7140-420: The wings form a cuticle so hard and well-joined to the body that pupae can be picked up and handled without damage to the wings. After about five to seven instars, or molts, certain hormones, like PTTH, stimulate the production of ecdysone , which initiates insect molting. The larva starts to develop into the pupa : body parts specific to the larva, such as the abdominal prolegs, degenerate, while others such as

7225-421: The year. These seasonal adaptations are controlled by hormones, and these delays in reproduction are called diapause . Many lepidopteran species, after mating and laying their eggs, die shortly afterwards, having only lived for a few days after eclosion. Others may still be active for several weeks and then overwinter and become sexually active again when the weather becomes more favorable, or diapause. The sperm of

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