Macrolepidoptera

Macrolepidoptera
Grey Dagger, Acronicta psi
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Hexapoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Suborder: Glossata
Infraorder: Heteroneura
(unranked): Macrolepidoptera
Superfamilies

See text

Macrolepidoptera is a group within the insect order Lepidoptera. Traditionally used for the larger butterflies and moths as opposed to the "Microlepidoptera", this group is unnatural. However, it seems that by moving some taxa about, a monophyletic Macrolepidoptera can be easily achieved. The two superfamilies Geometroidea and Noctuoidea account for roughly one-quarter of all known Lepidoptera.

In the reformed Macrolepidoptera, the following superfamilies are included:

The last three make up the Rhopalocera, or butterflies.

External links

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Wikispecies has information related to: Macrolepidoptera
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