Butterflies and moths

Code QL999999

Key terminates here, see also Trichoptera key to families

The Lepidoptera is one of the major orders in size, with some 140,000 described species in 70 families, but only a few species in one family, the Pyralidae (Code QL019999) , are aquatic. Holometabolous, with adult head hypognathous bearing long, coiled proboscis formed from greatly elongated maxillary galeae, large labial palps usually present, other mouthparts absent, except mandibles primitively present; compound eyes large; antennae multisegmented, often pectinate in moths, knobbed or clubbed in butterflies; wings completely covered with double layer of scales (flattened modified macrotrichia), hind and fore wings linked by either frenulum, jugum or simple overlap.

Lepidopteran larvae can be recognized by their sclerotised, hypognathous or prognathous head capsule, mandibulate mouthparts, usual 6 lateral ocelli, short 3-segmented antennae, 5-segmented thoracic legs with single claws, 10-segmented abdomen with short prolegs on some segments (usually on 3-6 and 10, but may be reduced). Silk glands products are extruded from a characteristic spinneret at the median apex of the labial prementum. Pupa usually contained within a silken cocoon, typically adectious, obtect (a chrysalis), with only some abdominal segments unfused; exarate in primitive species.