Tribe Lithosiini Billberg, 1820

Termessa gratiosa (Walker, 1865)

© Copyright David Britton, Australian Museum

Museums

Regional Maps

• Lithosiini Billberg, 1820.

  Type genus:

   Lithosis Billberg, 1820.
• Lithosides Billberg, G.J. 1820. Enumeratio Insectorum in Museo Gustave Johann Billberg. Stockholm : Typis Gadelianis 4 unnumbered + 138 pp. [In Latin].

  Type genus:

   Lithosis Billberg, 1820.

  Secondary source:

   Zahiri, R., Holloway, J.D., Kitching, I.J., Lafontaine, J.D., Mutanen, M. & Wahlberg, N. 2012. Molecular phylogenetics of Erebidae (Lepidoptera, Noctuoidea). Systematic Entomology 37(1): 102-124 [Date published online 31 Oct 2011].
• Eileminia Birket-Smith, J. 1965. A revision of the West African eilemic moths, based on the male genitalia. (Lep, Arctidae, Lithosinae; incl. gena. Crocosia, Eilema, Lithosia, Pelosia, Phryganopsis a. o.). Papers from the Faculty of Science Haile Sellassie I University (C) Zoology 1: 1-161.

  Type genus:

   Eilema Hübner, (1819).

Introduction

The world Lithosiinae were revised by Hampson (1900) and this is still an important work on this group. They were listed in Lepidopterorum Catalogus by Strand (1922). The Indoaustralian fauna was treated in Seitz's Macrolepidoptera of the World Vol. 10 by Seitz (1913-1914) and Draudt (1914). The Australian fauna was revised by Meyrick (1886) and by Turner (1940).

Australia has a rich fauna of Lithosiinae but most species occur in the wetter areas. Many species occurring on Cape York Peninsula also occur in New Guinea or have close relatives in New Guinea and there is much work still to be done to identify Australian species with species described from New Guinea.

Since publication of Edwards (1996) there have been relatively few changes to the taxonomic status of the Australian fauna. Holloway (2001) examined the status of genera which co-occur in the Oriental region, resulting in some generic level changes which are reflected here. This in turn has highlighted the need for generic level revision on this group within Australia, especially with reference to the fauna in the Papuan region.

General References

Draudt, M. 1914. [Arctiidae, Tiger moths. Lithosiinae, Lichen-moths] Miltochrista-Stenosia. 134-223, pls 12-18, 26 in Seitz, A. (ed.). The Macrolepidoptera of the World. 10. Bombyces and Sphinges of the Indo-Australian Region. 2 vols. Stuttgart : Alfred Kernen Verlag 909 pp., 100 pls.

Edwards, E.D. 1996. Arctiidae. pp.278-286 in Nielsen, E.S., Edwards, E.D. & Rangsi, T.V. (eds). Checklist of the Lepidoptera of Australia. Monographs on Australian Lepidoptera. Collingwood : CSIRO Publishing Vol. 4 xiv 529 pp. & CD-ROM.

Hampson, G.F. 1900. Catalogue of the Lepidoptera Phalaenae in the British Museum. Catalogue of the Arctiadae (Nolinae, Lithosianae) in the Collection of the British Museum. London : British Museum (Natural History) Vol. 2 xx 589 pp.

Holloway, J.D. 2001. The Moths of Borneo: Family Arctiidae, subfamily Lithosiinae. Malayan Nature Journal 55(3, 4): 279-486, figs11-461, pls 1-8

Meyrick, E. 1886. Revision of Australian Lepidoptera. I. Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales 2-n.s. 1(3): 687-802

Seitz, A. 1914. Arctiidae, Tiger moths; Lithosiinae, Lichen-moths [Darantoides-Scaphidriotis]. Pp. 118-134, pls 10, 11, 13, 18 in Seitz, A. (ed.). [1913-1914]. The Macrolepidoptera of the World. 10. Bombyces and Sphinges of the Indo-Australian Region. 2. Stuttgart : Alfred Kernen Verlag.

Turner, A.J. 1940. A revision of the Australian Arctiidae (Lepidoptera). Proceedings of the Royal Society of Queensland 51: 51-131

History of changes