Geometer Moth - Systematics

Systematics

The placement of the example species follows a 1990 systematic treatment; it may be outdated. Families are tentatively sorted in a phylogenetic sequence, from the most basal to the most advanced. Traditionally the Archiearinae were held to be the most ancient of the geometer moth lineages, as their caterpillars have well-developed prolegs. However, it nowadays seems that the Larentiinae are actually older, as indicated by their numerous plesiomorphies and DNA sequence data. They are either an extremely basal lineage of the Geometridae – together with the Sterrhinae –, or might even be considered a separate family of Geometroidea. As regards the Archiearinae, some species that were traditionally placed therein actually seem to belong to other subfamilies; altogether it seems that in a few cases, the prolegs which were originally lost in the ancestral geometer moths re-evolved as an atavism.

Larentiinae – about 5,800 species, includes the pug moths, mostly temperate. Might be a distinct family.

Sterrhinae – about 2,800 species, mostly tropical. Might belong to same family as Larentiinae.

• Birch Mocha, Cyclophora albipunctata
• False Mocha, Cyclophora porata
• Maiden's Blush, Cyclophora punctaria
• Riband Wave, Idaea aversata
• Small Fan-footed Wave, Idaea biselata
• Single-dotted Wave, Idaea dimidiata
• Small Scallop, Idaea emarginata
• Idaea filicata
• Dwarf Cream Wave, Idaea fuscovenosa
• Rusty Wave, Idaea inquinata
• Purple-bordered Gold, Idaea muricata
• Bright Wave, Idaea ochrata
• Least Carpet, Idaea rusticata
• Small Dusty Wave, Idaea seriata
• Purple-barred Yellow, Lythria cruentaria (formerly in Larentiinae)
• Vestal, Rhodometra sacraria
• Common Pink-barred, Rhodostrophia vibicaria
• Middle Lace Border, Scopula decorata
• Cream Wave, Scopula floslactata
• Small Blood-vein, Scopula imitaria
• Lewes Wave, Scopula immorata
• Lesser Cream Wave, Scopula immutata
• Mullein Wave, Scopula marginepunctata
• Zachera Moth, Semiothisa zachera
• Blood-vein, Timandra comae
• Eastern Blood-vein, Timandra griseata

Desmobathrinae – pantropical

Geometrinae – emerald moths, about 2,300 named species, most tropical

Archiearinae – 12 species; Holarctic, southern Andes and Tasmania, though the latter some seem to belong to the Ennominae. Larvae have all the prolegs except most are reduced.

• Infant, Archiearis infans
• Scarce Infant, Leucobrephos brephoides

Oenochrominae – in some treatments used as a "wastebin taxon" for genera that are difficult to place in other groups.

Alsophilinae – a few genera, defoliators of trees. Might belong in the Ennominae, tribe Boarmiini.

• March Moth, Alsophila aescularia
• Fall Cankerworm, Alsophila pometaria

Ennominae – about 9,700 species, including some defoliating pests; global distribution.

Geometridae genera incertae sedis include:

• Dichromodes
• Nearcha

Fossil Geometridae taxa include:

• †Hydriomena? protrita (Priabonian, Florissant Formation, Colorado)