Taxonomy
Rank |
Taxon |
|
Kingdom |
Animalia |
Animals |
Phylum |
Arthropoda |
Animals with jointed legs |
Class |
Insecta |
Arthropods with 3 pairs of legs |
Superorder |
Amphiesmenoptera |
Created to accomodate the close relationship between lepiodptera and trichoptera (caddisflies) |
Order |
Lepidoptera |
Insects covered with scales - moths and butterflies (literally "scale-wing") |
Suborder |
Glossata |
Lepidoptera with a coiled proboscis |
Infraorder |
Heteroneura |
Proboscid Lepidoptera with reduced hindwing venation |
Superfamily |
Gelechioidea |
"Curved-horn moths" - the largest superfamily, in terms of number families it contains (17) of the British Lepidopteran fauna. Generally characterised by well-developed, long and usually recurved labial palps, a scaled base to the proboscis and a long ciliary fringe to the hindwing. |
Family |
Coleophoridae |
Case-bearers (referring to the larva) |
The Royal Entomological Society "Checklist of the Lepidoptera of the British Isles", (Agassiz et al 2013) assigns number 37 to Family: Coleophoridae, in the sequence of 74 families that are deemed to be British, and lists 109 species in two genera: Augasma (1 species), Coleophora (108 species).
The Moths and Butterflies of Great Britain and Ireland volume 3 (Emmet et al, 1996) lists 107 species* in 4 genera: Augasma (1 species), Metriotes (1 species), Goniodoma (1 species), Coleophora (106 species).
The reason for differentiation into two (formerly four) genera is based on larval feeding habits. The characteristic Coleophoran larva makes its own case, predominantly of silk but often incorporating host plant material, and feeds from within the case, while transporting it about the host plant (hence "case-bearer"). The reason for retaining a separate genus, Augasma, is that the larva of this genus induces its host plant to create a gall in which the larva feeds - it does not make its own case. In 37.002 Coleophora lutarea (formerly Metriotes lutarea) the larva feeds within the seed of its host plant, only making its own case when fully fed, in order to pupate; and in 37.003 Coleophora limoniella (formerly Goniodoma limoniella) the larva creates a temporary case in which to move from seed to seed of its host plant, but does not usually actually feed within the case. Some European authorities retain the genera Metriotes and Goniodoma.
Of the 108 listed Coleophora species 4 are considered to be extinct (37.004 C.albella [last record 1985], 37.057 C.vibicigerella [last record 1980], 37.064 C.vulnerariae [last record 1880s] and 37.067 C.antennariella [last record 1930]).
Various attempts have been made to break up the enormous genus Coleophora into more manageable chunks, but none has met with any degree of general approval. MBGBI Vol3 segregates the species into groups, modified from Toll (1953). Some of the structure of this grouping has been retained in the currently accepted species order, but there have been many taxonomic modifications over the 17 years between the publication of MBGBI3 and the RES checklist. Doubtless further revision will be proposed over the next few years.
The Moths and Butterflies of Great Britain and Ireland volume 3 (Emmet et al, 1996) lists 107 species* in 4 genera: Augasma (1 species), Metriotes (1 species), Goniodoma (1 species), Coleophora (106 species).
The reason for differentiation into two (formerly four) genera is based on larval feeding habits. The characteristic Coleophoran larva makes its own case, predominantly of silk but often incorporating host plant material, and feeds from within the case, while transporting it about the host plant (hence "case-bearer"). The reason for retaining a separate genus, Augasma, is that the larva of this genus induces its host plant to create a gall in which the larva feeds - it does not make its own case. In 37.002 Coleophora lutarea (formerly Metriotes lutarea) the larva feeds within the seed of its host plant, only making its own case when fully fed, in order to pupate; and in 37.003 Coleophora limoniella (formerly Goniodoma limoniella) the larva creates a temporary case in which to move from seed to seed of its host plant, but does not usually actually feed within the case. Some European authorities retain the genera Metriotes and Goniodoma.
Of the 108 listed Coleophora species 4 are considered to be extinct (37.004 C.albella [last record 1985], 37.057 C.vibicigerella [last record 1980], 37.064 C.vulnerariae [last record 1880s] and 37.067 C.antennariella [last record 1930]).
Various attempts have been made to break up the enormous genus Coleophora into more manageable chunks, but none has met with any degree of general approval. MBGBI Vol3 segregates the species into groups, modified from Toll (1953). Some of the structure of this grouping has been retained in the currently accepted species order, but there have been many taxonomic modifications over the 17 years between the publication of MBGBI3 and the RES checklist. Doubtless further revision will be proposed over the next few years.
* MBGBI3 does not list 37.035 C.alcyonopennella or 37.037 C.calycotomella