Family PALAEPHATIDAE

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Introduction

This family was recently described from southern South America (Davis 1986){} and Australian species were added by Nielsen (1987){}. Two genera occur in Australia: Azaleodes Turner, with four species, was revised by Nielsen (1987); and Ptyssoptera Turner, described by Meyrick (1893).

Species of Azaleodes Turner occur in rainforest in eastern Australia but their biology is unknown. Species of Ptyssoptera Turner occur more widely and the larvae feed on Proteaceae, at first mining in leaves and later living in shelters formed by joining adjacent leaves with silk.

General References

Meyrick, E. 1893. Descriptions of Australian Micro-lepidoptera. XVI. Tineidae. Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales 2-n.s. 7(4): 477-612 [Date published 1893: dated 1892]

History of changes