Pterophoridae

Latreille, 1802

The Pterophoridae are a family of moths belonging only to the superfamily Pterophoroidea .
Representatives of this family are characterized by thin wings, each divided into feathery gills and the last pair of very long legs. The usual resting posture is with wings extended laterally and tightly rolled up. Often resembling a piece of dry grass, so the moth can go unnoticed by potential predators even when resting in situations exposed to daylight.

A fossil species of the extant genus Merrifieldia is known from the Oligocene in France. *


* L. Bigot, A. Nel, and J. Nel. 1986. Description de la première espèce fossile connue de Ptérophore (Lepidoptera Pterophoridae). Alexanor 14:283-288

Agdistinae






Pterophorinae