List of moths of South Africa

The moths of South Africa represent about 7,000 known moth species. The moths (mostly nocturnal) and butterflies (mostly diurnal) together make up the taxonomic order Lepidoptera.

This is a list of moth species which have been recorded in South Africa. Because of the large number of species from South Africa, some families are listed on separate pages.

Family Acrolepiidae Acrolepia canachopis Meyrick, 1913 Acrolepia chalarodesma Meyrick, 1927 Acrolepia gelida Meyrick, 1921 Acrolepia trapezopa Meyrick, 1914 Acrolepia xylophragma (Meyrick, 1926)

Family Adelidae Adela cuneella Walsingham, 1891 Adela droseropa Meyrick, 1921 Adela electella (Walker, 1863) Adela natalensis Stainton, 1860 Ceromitia albosparsa Janse, 1945 Ceromitia alternipunctella (Walsingham, 1881) Ceromitia amphichroa Meyrick, 1908 Ceromitia arata Meyrick, 1920 Ceromitia benedicta Meyrick, 1918 Ceromitia bipartita (Janse, 1945) Ceromitia bipectinifera Janse, 1945 Ceromitia brevilobata (Janse, 1945) Ceromitia centrologa Meyrick, 1937 Ceromitia cerochlora Meyrick, 1921 Ceromitia crinigerella (Zeller, 1850) Ceromitia decepta Janse, 1945 Ceromitia delta Janse, 1945 Ceromitia descripta Meyrick, 1924 Ceromitia devia (Janse, 1945) Ceromitia dicksoni (Janse, 1945) Ceromitia durbanica (Janse, 1945) Ceromitia elongatella (Walsingham, 1881) Ceromitia fuscipunctella (Janse, 1945) Ceromitia geminata Meyrick, 1914 Ceromitia gigantea Janse, 1945 Ceromitia graptosema Meyrick, 1914 Ceromitia grisata (Janse, 1945) Ceromitia heteroloba (Janse, 1945) Ceromitia holosticta Meyrick, 1918 Ceromitia impura (Janse, 1945) Ceromitia indigna (Meyrick, 1912) Ceromitia intermedia (Janse, 1945) Ceromitia laureata Meyrick, 1911 Ceromitia libropis Meyrick, 1908 Ceromitia melanodesma Meyrick, 1914 Ceromitia melanostrota Meyrick, 1912 Ceromitia mellicoma Meyrick, 1912 Ceromitia mioclina Meyrick, 1921 Ceromitia mitrata Meyrick, 1917 Ceromitia monopectinifera Janse, 1945 Ceromitia multipunctata Janse, 1945 Ceromitia nerina Meyrick, 1912 Ceromitia ochrotricha Meyrick, 1912 Ceromitia palyntis Meyrick, 1908 Ceromitia phaeocomoides Janse, 1945 Ceromitia phyrsima Meyrick, 1911 Ceromitia praetexta Meyrick, 1924 Ceromitia punctulata Janse, 1945 Ceromitia resonans Meyrick, 1918 Ceromitia simpliciella (Janse, 1945) Ceromitia spatalodes Meyrick, 1920 Ceromitia spilodesma Meyrick, 1908 Ceromitia sporaea Meyrick, 1908 Ceromitia stathmodes Meyrick, 1908 Ceromitia synchroma (Janse, 1945) Ceromitia transtrifera Meyrick, 1912 Ceromitia trigoniferella (Walsingham, 1881) Ceromitia trilobata (Janse, 1945) Ceromitia turpisella (Walker, 1863) Ceromitia tyrochlora Meyrick, 1908 Ceromitia unguiphora (Janse, 1945) Ceromitia vansoni Janse, 1945 Ceromitia wahlbergi Zeller, 1852 Ceromitia xanthosoma Meyrick, 1917

Family Alucitidae Alucita acalyptra (Meyrick, 1913) Alucita brachyzona (Meyrick, 1920) Alucita butleri Wallengren, 1875 Alucita capensis Felder & Rogenhofer, 1875 Alucita certifica (Meyrick, 1909) Alucita crococyma (Meyrick, 1937) Alucita ferruginea Walsingham, 1881 Alucita habrophila (Meyrick, 1920) Alucita ithycypha (Meyrick, 1927) Alucita libraria (Meyrick, 1911) Alucita ochriprota (Hering, 1917) Alucita phanerarcha (Meyrick, 1924) Alucita photaula (Meyrick, 1918) Alucita spicifera (Meyrick, 1911) Alucita tesserata (Meyrick, 1918) Microschismus antennatus T. B. Fletcher, 1909 Microschismus cymatias Meyrick, 1918 Microschismus fortis (Walsingham, 1881) Microschismus premnias Meyrick, 1913 Microschismus reginus Ustjuzhanin & Kovtunovich, 2011 Microschismus sceletias Meyrick, 1911 Microschismus sterkfontein Ustjuzhanin & Kovtunovich, 2011

Family Anomoeotidae Anomoeotes levis Felder, 1888 Anomoeotes nigrivenosus Butler, 1893 Dianeura goochii Butler, 1888

Family Arctiidae About 239 species - see: List of moths of South Africa (Arctiidae)

Family Autostichidae Diophila bathrota (Meyrick, 1911) Hesperesta rhyodes (Meyrick, 1909) Holcopogon tucki Vives Moreno, 1999 Oegoconia meledantis (Meyrick, 1921) Oegoconia syndesma Meyrick, 1926 Pachnistis craniota (Meyrick, 1913) Procometis acharma Meyrick, 1908 Procometis limitata Meyrick, 1911 Procometis milvina Meyrick, 1914 Procometis ochricilia Meyrick, 1921 Procometis oxypora Meyrick, 1908 Procometis terrena Meyrick, 1908 Symmoca crocodesma Meyrick, 1911

Family Batrachedridae Batrachedra epombra Meyrick, 1914 Batrachedra granosa Meyrick, 1911 Batrachedra heliota Meyrick, 1913 Batrachedra isochtha Meyrick, 1914 Batrachedra microbias Meyrick, 1914 Batrachedra oemias Meyrick, 1909 Batrachedra phaneropa Meyrick, 1914 Batrachedra saurota Meyrick, 1911 Batrachedra stegodyphobia Walsingham, 1903 Enscepastra lathraea Meyrick, 1920 Enscepastra longirostris Meyrick, 1926 Enscepastra plagiopa Meyrick, 1920 Idioglossa bigemma Walsingham, 1881

Family Bedelliidae Bedellia cathareuta Meyrick, 1911 Bedellia somnulentella (Zeller, 1847)

Family Bombycidae Bombyx mori (Linnaeus, 1758) Ocinara ficicola (Westwood & Ormerod, 1889) Racinoa ianthe (Druce, 1887) Racinoa pallicornis Strand, 1910 Racinoa signicosta Strand, 1910

Family Brachodidae Atractoceros albiciliata (Walsingham, 1891) Atractoceros xanthoprocta (Meyrick, 1914) Brachodes infandus (Meyrick, 1920) Brachodes metaspilus (Meyrick, 1926) Brachodes nycteropis (Meyrick, 1920) Brachodes quiris (Felder & Rogenhofer, 1875) Nigilgia albitogata (Walsingham, 1891) Nigilgia eucallynta (Meyrick, 1937) Nigilgia pseliota (Meyrick, 1920) Phycodes punctata Walsingham, 1891

Family Brahmaeidae Dactyloceras widenmanni (Karsch, 1895) Spiramiopsis comma Hampson, 1901

Family Bucculatricidae Bucculatrix agilis Meyrick, 1920 Bucculatrix amara Meyrick, 1913 Bucculatrix anticolona Meyrick, 1913 Bucculatrix dulcis Meyrick, 1913 Bucculatrix edocta Meyrick, 1921 Bucculatrix facilis Meyrick, 1911 Bucculatrix galeodes Meyrick, 1913 Bucculatrix inchoata Meyrick, 1913 Bucculatrix lenis Meyrick, 1913 Bucculatrix melipecta Meyrick, 1914 Bucculatrix monelpis Meyrick, 1928 Bucculatrix ochromeris Meyrick, 1928 Bucculatrix porthmisa Meyrick, 1908 Bucculatrix praecipua Meyrick, 1918 Bucculatrix quieta Meyrick, 1913 Leucoedemia ingens (Scoble & Scholtz, 1984)

Family Carposinidae Carposina autologa Meyrick, 1910 Carposina brachycentra Meyrick, 1914 Carposina conobathra Meyrick, 1928 Carposina exsanguis Meyrick, 1918 Carposina impavida Meyrick, 1913 Carposina irata Meyrick, 1914 Carposina proconsularis Meyrick, 1921 Carposina siturga Meyrick, 1912 Carposina socors Meyrick, 1928 Carposina subselliata Meyrick, 1921 Carposina thermurga Meyrick, 1929

Family Cecidosidae Scyrotis athleta Meyrick, 1909 Scyrotis granosa (Meyrick, 1912) Scyrotis kochi Mey, 2007 Scyrotis pulleni Mey, 2007 Scyrotis trivialis (Meyrick, 1913)

Family Choreutidae Brenthia leucatoma Meyrick, 1918 Brenthia virginalis Meyrick, 1912 Choreutis aegyptiaca (Zeller, 1867) Choreutis entechna (Meyrick, 1920) Choreutis gratiosa (Meyrick, 1911) Choreutis plectodes (Meyrick, 1921) Tebenna micalis (Mann, 1857)

Family Coleophoridae Anathyrsa macroxyla Meyrick, 1920 Augasma nidifica Meyrick, 1912 Blastobasis byrsodepta Meyrick, 1913 Blastobasis determinata Meyrick, 1921 Blastobasis egens Meyrick, 1918 Blastobasis fatigata Meyrick, 1914 Blastobasis industria Meyrick, 1913 Blastobasis millicentae Adamski, 2010 Blastobasis taricheuta Meyrick, 1909 Calosima arguta (Meyrick, 1918) Coleophora acmura Meyrick, 1914 Coleophora aphanombra Meyrick, 1913 Coleophora diffusa Meyrick, 1913 Coleophora efflua Meyrick, 1911 Coleophora eremodes Meyrick, 1912 Coleophora halmodes Meyrick, 1911 Coleophora illustrata Meyrick, 1913 Coleophora intensa Meyrick, 1913 Coleophora leucaula Meyrick, 1911 Coleophora megaloptila Meyrick, 1909 Coleophora niphocrossa Meyrick, 1920 Coleophora ordinaria Meyrick, 1913 Coleophora orphnoceros Meyrick, 1937 Coleophora oxyphaea Meyrick, 1913 Coleophora presbytica Meyrick, 1921 Coleophora scaleuta Meyrick, 1911 Coleophora scariphota Meyrick, 1911 Coleophora terenaula Meyrick, 1927 Coleophora textoria Meyrick, 1921 Coleophora triflua Meyrick, 1911 Holcocera extensa (Meyrick, 1918) Holcocera irroratella (Walsingham, 1891)

Family Copromorphidae Copromorpha aeruginea Meyrick, 1917 Rhynchoferella syncentra (Meyrick, 1916)

Family Cosmopterigidae Alloclita paraphracta Meyrick, 1914 Alloclita xylodesma Meyrick, 1911 Allotalanta clonomicta Meyrick, 1927 Anatrachyntis rileyi (Walsingham, 1882) Anatrachyntis tripola (Meyrick, 1909) Ascalenia albitergis Meyrick, 1926 Ascalenia melanogastra (Meyrick, 1918) Ascalenia nudicornis (Meyrick, 1913) Ascalenia pulverata (Meyrick, 1913) Ascalenia staurocentra (Meyrick, 1915) Axiarcha discosema Meyrick, 1921 Chalcocolona cyananthes (Meyrick, 1911) Cnemidolophus lavernellus Walsingham, 1881 Cosmopterix ancistraea Meyrick, 1913 Cosmopterix antichorda Meyrick, 1909 Cosmopterix bactrophora Meyrick, 1908 Cosmopterix callinympha Meyrick, 1913 Cosmopterix circe Meyrick, 1921 Cosmopterix cleophanes Meyrick, 1937 Cosmopterix cognita Walsingham, 1891 Cosmopterix diplozona Meyrick, 1921 Cosmopterix emmolybda Meyrick, 1914 Cosmopterix macroglossa Meyrick, 1913 Cosmopterix oxyglossa Meyrick, 1909 Cosmopterix scaligera Meyrick, 1909 Cosmopterix tabellaria Meyrick, 1908 Cosmopterix tetrophthalma Meyrick, 1921 Dorodoca eometalla Meyrick, 1926 Erechthiodes audax Meyrick, 1914 Eteobalea pentagama Meyrick, 1928 Eteobalea phanoptila Meyrick, 1911 Eteobalea quinquecristata (Walsingham, 1891) Gibeauxiella genitrix (Meyrick, 1927) Gisilia antidesma (Meyrick, 1913) Gisilia cardinata (Meyrick, 1918) Gisilia conformata (Meyrick, 1921) Gisilia sclerodes (Meyrick, 1909) Gisilia stagnans (Meyrick, 1921) Hyalochna allevata Meyrick, 1918 Ischnobathra balanobola Meyrick, 1937 Ischnobathra dormiens Meyrick, 1937 Labdia caulota Meyrick, 1918 Labdia diophanes Meyrick, 1927 Limnaecia chlorodeta Meyrick, 1928 Limnaecia chloronephes Meyrick, 1924 Limnaecia effulgens Meyrick, 1918 Limnaecia eretmota Meyrick, 1909 Limnaecia ichnographa Meyrick, 1908 Limnaecia neurogramma Meyrick, 1909 Limnaecia recidiva Meyrick, 1911 Limnaecia semisecta Meyrick, 1928 Macrobathra anisodora Meyrick, 1924 Macrobathra recrepans Meyrick, 1926 Melanozestis heterodesma Meyrick, 1930 Parathystas porphyrantha Meyrick, 1913 Pycnagorastis tanyopa Meyrick, 1937 Pyroderces narcota (Meyrick, 1909) Stagmatophora basanistis Meyrick, 1909 Stagmatophora phalacra Meyrick, 1909 Stagmatophora pilana Meyrick, 1913 Stagmatophora trimitra Meyrick, 1913 Stilbosis antibathra (Meyrick, 1914) Streptothyris tanyacta Meyrick, 1918

Family Cossidae Aethalopteryx forsteri (Clench, 1959) Aethalopteryx pindarus (Fawcett, 1916) Aethalopteryx squameus (Distant, 1902) Aethalopteryx tristis (Gaede, 1915) Alophonotus rauanus (Strand, 1909) Arctiocossus antargyreus Felder, 1874 Arctiocossus danieli Clench, 1959 Arctiocossus impeditus (Walker, 1865) Arctiocossus ligatus (Walker, 1865) Arctiocossus tessellatus Clench, 1959 Azygophleps asylas (Cramer, 1777) Azygophleps atrifasciata Hampson, 1910 Azygophleps cooksoni Pinhey, 1968 Azygophleps inclusa (Walker, 1856) Azygophleps leopardina Distant, 1902 Azygophleps pusilla (Walker, 1856) Brachylia eutelia Clench, 1959 Brachylia incanescens (Butler, 1875) Brachylia terebroides Felder, 1874 Coryphodema albifasciata Hampson, 1910 Coryphodema tristis (Drury, 1782) Cossus seineri Grünberg, 1910 Eulophonotus myrmeleon Felder, 1874 Macrocossus coelebs Clench, 1959 Macrocossus toluminus (Druce, 1887) Nomima cyanoscia (Meyrick, 1918) Nomima subnigrata (Meyrick, 1917) Oreocossus occidentalis Strand, 1913 Pecticossus castaneus Gaede, 1929 Phragmataecia andarana Clench, 1959 Phragmataecia boisduvalii (Herrich-Schäffer, 1854) Phragmataecia innominata Dalla Torre, 1923 Phragmataecia irrorata Hampson, 1910 Phragmataecia okovangae Clench, 1959 Pseudurgis leucosema Meyrick, 1914 Pseudurgis nephelicta Meyrick, 1913 Pseudurgis ochrolychna Meyrick, 1914 Pseudurgis poliastis (Meyrick, 1937) Pseudurgis polychorda Meyrick, 1913 Pseudurgis protracta Meyrick, 1924