Oecophorinae Explained

The Oecophorinae are the nominate subfamily of moths in the concealer moth family (Oecophoridae). They are part of the insufficiently studied superfamily Gelechioidea, and like their relatives, the circumscription of this taxon is disputed.[1]

History of classification

In some approaches, the Oecophoridae are expanded to include several lineages formerly placed in the Elachistidae or considered independent gelechioid families. As regards the Oecophorinae, the proposed concealer moth subfamilies Chimabachinae, Deuterogoniinae, Peleopodinae and Philobotinae were included here pending further study of the affiliations of their genera. They were also often treated as independent families (Chimabachidae, Deuterogoniidae, Peleopodidae and Philobotidae) by those who followed a "splitting" approach. In general, the delimitation of the Oecophorinae versus the Amphisbatinae, Depressariinae and Hypertrophinae has been the most contested issue, though the uncertain placement of the Xyloryctidae versus the concealer moths (into which they might belong as subfamily) has also been a considerable stumbling block.

Numerous attempts have been made to divide the Oecophorinae into tribes, such as Carcinini, Crossotocerini, Denisiini, Herrichini, Oecophorini, Peleopodini and Pleurotini. Also placed here under this scheme are the Cacochroini and Orophiini, which otherwise were included in the Depressariinae (but usually only when these were elevated to full family rank). Most of the proposed tribes were based on phenetic or qualitative analyses, if not merely on the whim of the entomologists that established them, and no robust evolutionary scenario has been established for the different lineages of Oecophorinae. The groups around the genus Peleopoda (the former Peleopodinae) and of course the type genus Oecophora are generally recognized to be well distinguished from each other, but no satisfying arrangement has been found for the bulk of the (presumed) oecophorine genera. Hence, no subdivision into tribes is attempted here.

Taxonomy and systematics

The following genera (with some notable species also listed) are usually held to belong to the Oecophorinae. Still, placement of few genera is completely certain (see above), and many  - in particular monotypic genera  - may not be valid at all. New oecophorine genera are also being described frequently:

References

See also Gelechioidea talk page for comparison of some approaches to gelechioid systematics and taxonomy.

Notes and References

  1. ABRS (2008), FE (2009), Wikispecies (2010-APR-25), and see references in Savela (2009)

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