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Macrolepidoptera

Macrolepidoptera is a group within the insect order Lepidoptera. Traditionally used for the larger butterflies and moths as opposed to the " Microlepidoptera", this group is unnatural. However, it seems that by moving some taxa about, a monophyletic Macrolepidoptera can be easily achieved. The two superfamilies Geometroidea and Noctuoidea account for roughly one-quarter of all known Lepidoptera.

In the reformed Macrolepidoptera, the following superfamilies are included:

  • Mimallonoidea – sack bearers
  • Lasiocampoidea – lappet moths
  • Bombycoidea – bombycoid moths
  • Noctuoidea – owlet moths
  • Drepanoidea – drepanids
  • Geometroidea – inchworms
  • Axioidea – European gold moths
  • Calliduloidea – Old World butterfly-moths
  • Hedyloidea – New World butterfly-moths (or moth-butterflies)
  • Hesperioidea – skippers
  • Papilionoidea – true butterflies

The last three make up the Rhopalocera, or butterflies.