Thaumetopoea Explained

Thaumetopoea is a genus of moths belonging to the family Notodontidae. It was first described by Jacob Hübner in 1820.

In their caterpillar form, they bear the vernacular name of processionary because their gregarious larvae conspicuously move in single file. The adults live a few days without feeding.

Some Thaumetopoea species, for example Thaumetopoea pityocampa, are expanding their range towards higher latitudes and altitudes due to the current climate warming.^[1] The caterpillars carry urticating hairs which cause health problems in humans.^[2]

Systematics

The etymology of the name of the genus is from the Greek words and, "to create", thus meaning "creating wonder", i.e. "looking remarkable".^{[3] [4]} This explains why the name is sometimes spelled Thaumatopoea, i.e. in the Latinized form of Greek, Ancient (to 1453);: θαυματοποιία thaumatopoiia "marvellous achievement" (cf. Greek, Ancient (to 1453);: θαῦμα thauma "marvel, wonder").^{[5] [6]}

The genus Thaumetopoea contains the following species:

• Thaumetopoea bonjeani (Powell, 1922) - cedar processionary
• Thaumetopoea herculeana Rambur, 1840
• Thaumetopoea pinivora (Treitschke, 1834) or Traumatocampa pinivora (Treitschke 1834) - eastern pine processionary
• Thaumetopoea pityocampa (Denis and Schiffermüller, 1775) or Traumatocampa pityocampa (Denis & Schiffermüller 1775) - pine processionary
• Thaumetopoea processionea (Linnaeus, 1758) - oak processionary
• Thaumetopoea solitaria (Freyer, 1838) - pistachio processionary or solitary
• Thaumetopoea wilkinsoni Tams, 1924 or Traumatocampa wilkinsoni (Tams 1926)
• Thaumetopoea hellenica
• Thaumetopoea mediterranea

Notes and References

1. Gschloessl . Bernhard . Vogel . Heiko . Burban . Christian . Heckel . David . Streiff . Réjane . Kerdelhué . Carole . Comparative analysis of two phenologically divergent populations of the pine processionary moth (Thaumetopoea pityocampa) by de novo transcriptome sequencing . Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology . 46 . 31–42 . 10.1016/j.ibmb.2014.01.005 . 24468684 . 2014.
2. Battisti . Andrea . Larsson . Stig . Roques . Alain . 31 January 2017 . Processionary Moths and Associated Urtication Risk: Global Change–Driven Effects . Annual Review of Entomology . 62 . 1 . 323–342 . 10.1146/annurev-ento-031616-034918 . 27860523 . 0066-4170.
3. Book: Bailly, Anatole . Abrégé du dictionnaire grec français . 1981 . Hachette . 2010035283 . 461974285 . Paris.
4. Web site: Greek-French dictionary online . Bailly . Anatole . www.tabularium.be . 30 October 2017.
5. , .
6. Book: Quicke, Donald L. J. . The Braconid and Ichneumonid Parasitoid Wasps: Biology, Systematics, Evolution and Ecology . 22 December 2014 . 515. John Wiley & Sons . 9781118907054.