False owlet moths, family Thyatiridae, comprise 224 species from all regions (absent in Australia), but most are tropical Oriental (199 sp.); the actual fauna probably exceeds 275 species. Two subfamilies are recognized: Thyatirinae and Polyplocinae. The family is in the superfamily Drepanoidea, in the section Cossina, subsection Bombycina, of the division Ditrysia. Adults medium size (28–52 mm wingspan), with head scaling normal; maxillary palpi vestigial; antennae serrate or filiform; body robust. Wings elongate-triangular, mostly with acute forewing apex; hindwings subtriangular and rounded. Maculation varies but mostly (Fig. 11) shades of brown and gray, with various spotting and striae; sometimes more colorful and with lustrous color patches or iridescence; hindwings mostly unicolorous and pale or dark. Superficially, the moths appear similar to owlet moths, thus the derivation of their common name. Adults are nocturnal. Larvae are mostly nocturnal leaf feeders. Host plants are...
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Heppner, J.B. (2008). False Owlet Moths (Lepidoptera: Thyatiridae). In: Capinera, J.L. (eds) Encyclopedia of Entomology. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-6359-6_3762
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