Limacodidae

Family of moths

Limacodidae

The festoon, Apoda limacodes
Scientific classification
Domain:  | Eukaryota
Kingdom:  | Animalia
Phylum:  | Arthropoda
Class:  | Insecta
Order:  | Lepidoptera
Superfamily:  | Zygaenoidea
Family:  | Limacodidae
Subfamilies

Chrysopolominae
Limacodinae
For full list of genera, see Taxonomy of Limacodidae.

Diversity
About 400 genera,
1800 species
Synonyms

* Euclidae
* Apodidae Paclt, 1947[1]

The Limacodidae or Eucleidae are a family of moths in the superfamily Zygaenoidea or the Cossoidea;[2] the placement is in dispute. They are often called slug moths because their caterpillars bear a distinct resemblance to slugs.[3] They are also called cup moths because of the shape of their cocoons.[3]

The larvae are often liberally covered in protective stinging hairs, and are mostly tropical, but occur worldwide, with about 1800 described species and probably many more as yet undescribed species.

## Description[edit]

### Moths[edit]

They are small, hairy moths, with reduced or absent mouthparts and fringed wings. They often perch with their abdomens sticking out at 90° from their thoraces and wings. North American moths are mostly cryptic browns, sometimes marked with white or green, but the hag moth mimics bees.[4]

### Pupae[edit]

The final instar constructs a silk cocoon and hardens it with calcium oxalate excreted from its Malpighian tubules. Cocoons have a circular escape hatch, formed from a line of weakness in the silk matrix. It is forced open just prior to emergence of the adult.[5]

### Caterpillars[edit]

The larvae are typically very flattened, and instead of prolegs, they have suckers.[4] The thoracic legs are reduced, but always present, and they move by rolling waves rather than walking with individual prolegs. They even use a lubricant, a kind of liquefied silk, to move.[5]

Larvae might be confused with the similarly flattened larvae of lycaenid butterflies, but those caterpillars have prolegs, are always longer than they are wide, and are always densely covered in short or long setae (hair-like bristles). The head is extended during feeding in the lycaenids, but remains covered in the Limacodidae.

Many limacodid larvae are green and fairly smooth (e.g. yellow-shouldered slug), but others have tubercles with urticating hairs and may have bright warning colours. The sting can be quite potent,[6] causing severe pain.

The larval head is concealed under folds.[2] First-instars skeletonise the leaf (avoiding small veins and eating mostly one surface), but later instars eat the whole leaf, usually from the underside.[4] Many species seem to feed on several genera of host plants.[2]

Limacodidae larvae in temperate forests of eastern North America prefer glabrous leaves, presumably because the trichomes of pubescent leaves interfere with their movement.[7]

* Underside of a monkey slug, showing the slimy pad in place of prolegs

* Larva of the yellow-shouldered slug, showing typical body shape

* Doratifera larva, showing bright colours and presumably stinging setae

* Sibine stimulea (saddleback caterpillar) larva

* Larva of Parasa pastoralis

* Stinging rose caterpillars (Parasa indetermina)

* Limacodid larva

* Limacodid (slug moth) caterpillar

* Slug moth caterpillar, Sabah, Borneo

### Eggs[edit]

Eggs are flattened and thin. They are highly transparent and the larva can be seen developing inside.[4] They may be laid singly or in clusters on leaves.

## Ecological importance[edit]

Limacodidae (e.g. Latoia viridissima, Parasa lepida, Penthocrates meyrick, Aarodia nana) have caused serious defoliation of palms.[2]

## Notable species[edit]

* Hag moth or monkey slug (Phobetron pithecium)
* Ochre-winged hag moth or yellow-shouldered slug (Lithacodes fasciola)
* Spiny oak slug (Euclea delphinii)
* Crowned slug (Isa textula)
* Skiff moth (Prolimacodes badia)
* Nettle caterpillar (Latoia viridissima)
* Saddleback caterpillar (Acharia stimulea)

Wikispecies has information related to Limacodidae.

## References[edit]

1. ^ Paclt, Jiří (2008). "On the triple usage of the family name Apodidae in zoology (Aves; Crustacea; Insecta)". Senckenbergiana Biologica. 88 (1): 49–52.
2. ^ a b c d Scoble, M.J. (1992). The Lepidoptera: Form, Function and Diversity. Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780198540311
3. ^ a b "New Species of Yellow Slug Moth Found in China". Scientific Computing. Advantage Business Media. 4 June 2013. Retrieved 5 June 2013.
4. ^ a b c d Wagner, D.L. (2005). Caterpillars of Eastern North America. Princeton University Press. ISBN 9780691121437
5. ^ a b Epstein, M.E. (1996). "Revision and phylogeny of the limacodid-group families, with evolutionary studies on slug caterpillars (Lepidoptera: Zygaenoidea)." Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology. No. 582. ISSN 0081-0282
6. ^ Marshall, S.A. (2006). Insects: Their natural history and diversity. Firefly Books. ISBN 9781552979006
7. ^ Lill, J.T., Marquis, R.J., Forkner, R.E., Le Corff, J., Holmberg, N., & Barber, N.A. (2006). "Leaf pubescent affects distribution and abundance of generalist slug caterpillars (Lepidoptera: Limacodidae)." Environmental Entomology 35(3): 797–806. ISSN 0046-225X

## External links[edit]

Limacodidae at Wikipedia's sister projects

* Definitions from Wiktionary
* Media from Commons
* News from Wikinews
* Quotations from Wikiquote
* Texts from Wikisource
* Textbooks from Wikibooks
* Resources from Wikiversity

* [1] Brisbane Limacodids, with photo of cocoon.
* [2] Moths of Borneo

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* t
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Extant Lepidoptera families

* Kingdom: Animalia
* Phylum: Arthropoda
* Class: Insecta
* Subclass: Pterygota
* Infraclass: Neoptera
* Superorder: Holometabola

Suborder Zeugloptera

| Micropterigoidea|

Micropterigidae (mandibulate archaic moths)

|

Suborder Aglossata

| Agathiphagoidea|

Agathiphagidae (kauri moths)

|

Suborder Heterobathmiina

| Heterobathmioidea|

Heterobathmiidae

|

Suborder Glossata

| Dacnonypha|

| Eriocranioidea|

* Eriocraniidae

|

Acanthoctesia|

| Acanthopteroctetoidea|

* Acanthopteroctetidae (archaic sun moths)

|

Lophocoronina|

| Lophocoronoidea|

Lophocoronidae

|

Neopseustina|

| Neopseustoidea|

* Aenigmatineidae
* Neopseustidae (archaic bell moths)

|

Exoporia|

| Hepialoidea|

* Anomosetidae
* Hepialidae (swift moths, ghost moths)
* Neotheoridae (Amazonian primitive ghost moths)
* Palaeosetidae (miniature ghost moths)
* Prototheoridae (African primitive ghost moths)

|

Mnesarchaeoidea|

* Mnesarchaeidae (New Zealand primitive moths)

| M

| Adeloidea|

Adelidae (fairy longhorn moths)
Cecidosidae
Heliozelidae
Incurvariidae
Prodoxidae (yucca moths)

|

Andesianoidea|

* Andesianidae (Andean endemic moths)

Nepticuloidea|

Nepticulidae (pigmy, or midget moths)
Opostegidae (white eyecap moths)

Palaephatoidea|

Palaephatidae (Gondwanaland moths)

Tischerioidea|

Tischeriidae (trumpet leaf miner moths)

| Simaethistoidea|

Simaethistidae

|

Tineoidea|

Acrolophidae (burrowing webworm moths)
Arrhenophanidae
Eriocottidae (Old World spiny-winged moths)
Psychidae (bagworm moths)
Tineidae (fungus moths)

Gracillarioidea|

Bucculatricidae (ribbed cocoon makers)
Douglasiidae (Douglas moths)
Gracillariidae
Roeslerstammiidae

Yponomeutoidea|

Acrolepiidae (false diamondback moths)
Bedelliidae
Glyphipterigidae (sedge moths)
Heliodinidae
Lyonetiidae
Plutellidae
Yponomeutidae (ermine moths)
Ypsolophidae

Gelechioidea|

Autostichidae
Batrachedridae
Blastobasidae
Coleophoridae (case-bearers, case moths)
Cosmopterigidae (cosmet moths)
Elachistidae (grass-miner moths)
Gelechiidae (twirler moths)
Lecithoceridae (long-horned moths)
Lypusidae
Metachandidae
Momphidae (mompha moths)
Oecophoridae (concealer moths)
Pterolonchidae
Scythrididae (flower moths)
Xyloryctidae (timber moths)

Galacticoidea|

Galacticidae

Zygaenoidea|

Heterogynidae
Zygaenidae (burnet, forester, or smoky moths)
Himantopteridae
Lacturidae
Somabrachyidae
Megalopygidae (flannel moths)
Aididae
Anomoeotidae
Cyclotornidae
Epipyropidae (planthopper parasite moths)
Dalceridae (slug caterpillars)
Limacodidae (slug, or cup moths)

Cossoidea|

Cossidae (carpenter millers, or goat moths)
Dudgeoneidae (dudgeon carpenter moths)

Sesioidea|

Brachodidae (little bear moths)
Castniidae (castniid moths: giant butterfly-moths, sun moths)
Sesiidae (clearwing moths)

Choreutoidea|

Choreutidae (metalmark moths)

Tortricoidea|

Tortricidae (tortrix moths)

Urodoidea|

Urodidae (false burnet moths)

Schreckensteinioidea|

Schreckensteiniidae (bristle-legged moths)

Epermenioidea|

Epermeniidae (fringe-tufted moths)

Alucitoidea|

Alucitidae (many-plumed moths)
Tineodidae (false plume moths)

Pterophoroidea|

Pterophoridae (plume moths)

Whalleyanoidea|

Whalleyanidae

Immoidea|

Immidae

Copromorphoidea|

Copromorphidae (tropical fruitworm moths)
Carposinidae (fruitworm moths)

Thyridoidea|

Thyrididae (picture-winged leaf moths)

Calliduloidea|

Callidulidae (Old World butterfly-moths)

Papilionoidea
(butterflies)|

Papilionidae (swallowtail butterflies)
Hedylidae (American moth-butterflies)
Hesperiidae (skippers)
Pieridae (whites, yellows, orangetips, sulphurs)
Riodinidae (metalmarks)
Lycaenidae (gossamer-winged butterflies: blues, coppers and relatives)
Nymphalidae (brush-footed, or four-footed butterflies)

Hyblaeoidea|

Hyblaeidae (teak moths)

Pyraloidea|

Pyralidae (snout moths)
Crambidae (grass moth)

Mimallonoidea|

Mimallonidae (sack bearer moths)

Lasiocampoidea|

Lasiocampidae (eggars, snout moths, or lappet moths)

Bombycoidea|

Anthelidae (Australian lappet moth)
Apatelodidae (American silkworm moths)
Bombycidae (silk moths)
Brahmaeidae (Brahmin moths)
Carthaeidae (Dryandra moth)
Endromidae (Kentish glory and relatives)
Eupterotidae
Phiditiidae
Saturniidae (saturniids)
Sphingidae (hawk moths, sphinx moths and hornworms)

Noctuoidea|

Erebidae (underwing, tiger, tussock, litter, snout, owlet moths)
Euteliidae
Noctuidae (daggers, sallows, owlet moths, quakers, cutworms, darts)
Nolidae (tuft moths)
Notodontidae (prominents, kittens)
Oenosandridae

Drepanoidea|

Drepanidae (hook-tips)
Cimeliidae (gold moths)
Doidae

Geometroidea|

Sematuridae
Pseudobistonidae
Epicopeiidae (oriental swallowtail moths)
Uraniidae
Geometridae (geometer moths)

Superfamily unassigned|

Millieriidae

Note: division Monotrysia is not a clade.

* Taxonomy of the Lepidoptera
* Lists by region

Taxon identifiers|

* Wikidata: Q28912
* Wikispecies: Limacodidae
* AFD: Limacodidae
* BAMONA: Limacodidae
* BioLib: 17338
* BOLD: 529
* BugGuide: 131
* CoL: C2K
* EoL: 851
* EPPO: 1LIMCF
* Fauna Europaea: 3911
* Fauna Europaea (new): da9fa31f-552a-49ea-ac05-d54deaf402a4
* GBIF: 5474
* iNaturalist: 84165
* IRMNG: 109878
* ITIS: 117602
* NBN: NBNSYS0000160314
* NCBI: 115353

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* United States

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