Megalopygidae
EOL Text
Megalopygidae is the scientific name of a group of insect species known generally as crinkled flannel moths, or simply flannel moths. They occur in North America (11 species) and the New World tropics. The larvae are called puss caterpillars, and with their long hairs, resemble cotton balls. They have venomous spines that can cause a painful sting and inflammation lasting for several days. In some cases, the sting may cause headache, nausea, and shock-like symptoms. Perhaps the most notorious for stinging is the caterpillar of Megalopyge opercularis.
Genera[edit]
- Aithorape
- Cephalocladia
- Coamorpha
- Edebessa
- Endobrachys
- Eochroma
- Hysterocladia
- Macara
- Malmella
- Megalopyge
- Mesoscia
- Microcladia
- Microrape
- Norape
- Norapella
- Podalia
- Proterocladia
- Psychagrapha
- Repnoa
- Thoscora
- Trosia
- Vescoa
- Zyzypyge
References[edit]
- Natural History Museum genus database
- Insects of Cedar Creek, Minnesota
- BugGuide
- USGS--Caterpillars of Eastern Forests
- Auburn University
- Moths of Borneo--lists the family as neotropical
- Virginia Tech Cooperative Extension
- Ohio State University
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| License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ |
| Rights holder/Author | Wikipedia |
| Source | http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Megalopygidae&oldid=639863236 |
Megalopygidae, or the flannel moths, is a family of about 220 medium sized, stocky, dull brown or black, fuzzy moth species (Lepidoptera) that occur primarily in the new world tropics, although a few species are found in North America (11) and in Africa. The larvae, called puss caterpillars, differ from most caterpillars in having seven pairs of prolegs rather than the standard five (or fewer) pairs, and they are covered with long silky hairs hiding venomous spines which can cause a painful sting and inflammation lasting for several days. Perhaps the most notorious for stinging is the caterpillar of Megalopyge opercularis.
Caterpillars often feed gregariously as young larvae, and as they mature they are found individually. In some years populations of megalopygid moths in the southern United States undergo a spike; in abundance these caterpillars can cause extensive tree defoliation.
(Hoskins, 2014; Hyche 1998; Wikipedia, 2013)
| License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ |
| Rights holder/Author | Dana Campbell, Dana Campbell |
| Source | No source database. |
Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLD) Stats
Specimen Records:1344
Specimens with Sequences:1242
Specimens with Barcodes:1165
Species:102
Species With Barcodes:101
Public Records:750
Public Species:67
Public BINs:68