Scythris

Scythris
Imago of Scythris heinemanni
at Cerreto Ratti in Borghetto di Borbera, Italy
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Scythrididae
Genus: Scythris
Hübner, [1825]
Type species
Tinea chenopodiella
Hübner, [1813]
Species

Numerous, see text

Synonyms[1]
  • Butalis Treitschke, 1833
  • Copida Sodoffsky, 1837
  • Galanthia Hübner, 1825
  • Rubioia Agenjo, 1962

Scythris is a genus of gelechioid moths. It is the type genus of the flower moth family, which is sometimes included as a subfamily in the Xyloryctidae, or together with these merged into the Oecophoridae.[2] The genus was erected by Jacob Hübner in 1825.

It is the largest [verification needed] genus of flower moths, and as such might not be fully monophyletic with regard to some very small or monotypic genera placed in the same family. In addition, new species of Scythris continue to be discovered and described.[3]

Selected species

Species groups

The species of Scythris have been divided among several groups, which may or may not be monophyletic; those that are may – provided they are closely enough related to the type species S. limbella – be considered subgenera. There is a considerable number of species whose exact relationships are hitherto elusive. Some have been placed in a "monospecific species group" of their own, as they are too distinct from the other groups to be included there, yet at the same time have characteristic autapomorphies. Species groups include:[4][3]

Species incertae sedis

Finally, there are many species which are neither clearly assignable to any one species group, nor autapomorphic enough to be included in a monospecific "group". These include:[3]

Afrotropical

Selected former species

Footnotes

  1. ^ AEBR (2008), and see references in Savela (2008)
  2. ^ Pitkin & Jenkins (2004), AEBR (2008), ToL (2008), FE (2009), and see references in Savela (2008)
  3. ^ a b c FE (2009), and see references in Savela (2008)
  4. ^ AEBR (2008), FE (2009), and see references in Savela (2008)

References