Sri Lanka is a tropical island situated close to the southern tip of India. The invertebrate fauna is as large as it is common to other regions of the world. There are about 2 million species of arthropods found in the world, and still it is counting. So many new species are discover up to this time also. So it is very complicated and difficult to summarize the exact number of species found within a certain region.
The following is an incomplete list of the moths of Sri Lanka.
Moths are lepidopterans that classified together with their beautiful partners, the butterflies. The two types are easily recognized by first sight with a good naked eye. The main differences are as follows.
| Feature | Butterflies | Moths | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shape and structure of antennae | thin slender filamentous antennae which are club-shaped at the end. | comb-like or feathery antennae, or filamentous and unclubbed. | |
| Wing-coupling mechanisms | lack a frenulum. | have a frenulum which is a filament arising from the hindwing and coupling (matching up) with barbs on the forewing. The frenulum can be observed only when a specimen is in hand. Some moths have a lobe on the forewing called a jugum that helps in coupling with the hindwing. | |
| Pupae | form an exposed pupa, also termed a chrysalis. | moth caterpillars spin a cocoon made of silk within which they metamorphose into the pupal stage. | |
| Colouration of the wings | bright colours on their wings. | usually plain brown, grey, white or black and often with obscuring patterns of zigzags or swirls. | |
| Activity | diurnal. | nocturnal and crepuscular. | |
| Structure of the body | have slender and smoother abdomens. | have stout and hairy or furry-looking bodies. | |
| Scales | possess fine scales. | larger scales on their wings which makes them look more dense and fluffy. | |
| Appearance of eyes | apposition eyes. | superposition eyes. | |
| Resting posture | fold their wings above their backs when they are perched. | rest with their wings spread out to their sides. |
Within Sri Lanka, the latest revision of lepidopterans described 1903 species with 58 families of butterflies and moths. Out of these 1903 species, 208 species are butterflies and 1695 species are moths.[1]
The family-wise number of moth species are:
| Family | Common name | Species | |
|---|---|---|---|
| - | 11 | ||
| - | 6 | ||
| - | 6 | ||
| Silkworm moths | 3 | ||
| Little bear moths | 6 | ||
| Day flying moths | 1 | ||
| - | 4 | ||
| Metalmark moths | 15 | ||
| - | 1 | ||
| - | 1 | ||
| Cosmet moths | 30 | ||
| Carpenter millers | 13 | ||
| Grass moths | 266 | ||
| Hooktip moths | 9 | ||
| - | 2 | ||
| - | 1 | ||
| Grass miner moths | 10 | ||
| Planthopper parasite moths | 3 | ||
| Underwing moths | 466 | ||
| - | 1 | ||
| Giant lappet moths | 15 | ||
| Twirler moths | 66 | ||
| Geometer moths | 219 | ||
| Sedge moths | 14 | ||
| Leaf-blotch miner moths | 56 | ||
| Ghost moths | 3 | ||
| Teak moths | 2 | ||
| Imma moths | 13 | ||
| Tropical burnet moths | 2 | ||
| Tent moths | 15 | ||
| Long horned moths | 95 | ||
| Slug caterpillar moths | 26 | ||
| Lyonet moths | 7 | ||
| Mompha moths | 4 | ||
| - | 2 | ||
| Owlet moths | 179 | ||
| Nolid moths | 70 | ||
| Prominent moths | 40 | ||
| Diamondback moths | 1 | ||
| Plume moths | 32 | ||
| Bagworm moths | 36 | ||
| Snout moths | 90 | ||
| Giant silkworm moths | 7 | ||
| Clearwing moths | 2 | ||
| Sphinx moths | 55 | ||
| Picture-winged leaf moths | 21 | ||
| Fungus moths | 44 | ||
| Leaf-roller moths | 174 | ||
| Swallowtail moths | 31 | ||
| False burnet moths | 1 | ||
| Giant micromoths | 2 | ||
| Ermine moths | 2 | ||
| Burnet moths | 13 |