LACTURIDAE of Australia ZYGAENOIDEA

Don Herbison-Evans (donherbisonevans@yahoo.com) and Stella Crossley

LACTURIDAE caterpillars

LACTURIDAE cocoon

LACTURIDAE moths

LACTURIDAE undersides

These tropical species, with brightly coloured adult moths, have been previously been placed in other families by various authors, including YPONOMEUTIDAE, PLUTELLIDAE, YPONOMEUTIDAE and ZYGAENIDAE, although the group has not yet been properly reviewed. Here, following Nielsen et al., they are treated as a separate family. The 27 named Australian species placed in LACTURIDAE are:

Anticrates metreta
Anticrates paraxantha
Anticrates phaedima
Anticrates zapyra

Lactura aglaodora
Lactura calliphylla
Lactura caminaea
Lactura cristata
Lactura dives
Lactura erythocera
Lactura erythractis
Lactura haplochroa
Lactura laetifera
Lactura leucophthalma
Lactura mactata
Lactura panopsia
Lactura parallela

Lactura phoenobapta
Lactura picta
Lactura pilcheri
Lactura pteropoecila
Lactura rhodomochla
Lactura rubritexta
Lactura sapotearum

Lactura thiospila

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Australian Lepidoptera

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(updated 18 July 2015, 3 May 2026)