Ypsolopha

Ypsolopha is a genus of moths of the family Ypsolophidae. It is the type genus of the family and comprises over 120 described species (about 95% of the family's known world diversity).

Ypsolopha
Ypsolopha asperella
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Arthropoda
Class:
Insecta
Order:
Lepidoptera
Family:
Ypsolophidae
Subfamily:
Ypsolophinae
Genus:
Ypsolopha

Synonyms

Distribution

Most Ypsolopha species have been recorded from the Holarctic temperate region.

Description

Ypsolopha species are variable in shape and color and no exclusive superficial features have been established for the group. In contrast, the genitalia of both sexes are remarkably homogeneous.

Biology

Adults are nocturnal or rarely diurnal. Their resting postures are various, but they often have the head down and the lower body up. Ypsolopha acuminata mimics a small broken branch at rest. The larvae usually live in open webs on the leaves of various, primarily woody, plants and mostly feed on a limited range of host plants. They are active primarily at night and have two defensive behaviors that involve wiggling and jumping.

Selected species

Former species

References
  1. Descriptions of three new species of Ypsolopha Latreille (Lepidoptera: Ypsolophidae) from East Asia, redescription of Y. contractella (Caradja) and a checklist of East Asian Ypsolopha
  2. Ponomarenko, M.G., Sohn, J.-C., Zinchenko, Y.N., & Wu, C.-S. "Five new East-Asian species of the genus Ypsolopha Latreille (Lepidoptera: Ypsolophidae)." Zootaxa 2760 (2011): 18-28.
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