Sri Lanka is a tropical island situated close to the southern tip of India. The invertebrate fauna is as large as it is common to other regions of the world. There are about 2 million species of arthropods found in the world, and still it is counting. So many new species are discover up to this time also. So it is very complicated and difficult to summarize the exact number of species found within a certain region.
The following is an incomplete list of the moths of Sri Lanka.
Moth Moths are lepidopterans that classified together with their beautiful partners, the butterflies. The two types are easily recognized by first sight with a good naked eye. The main differences are as follows.
Feature Butterflies Moths Shape and structure of antennae thin slender filamentous antennae which are club-shaped at the end. comb-like or feathery antennae, or filamentous and unclubbed. Wing-coupling mechanisms lack a frenulum. have a frenulum which is a filament arising from the hindwing and coupling (matching up) with barbs on the forewing. The frenulum can be observed only when a specimen is in hand. Some moths have a lobe on the forewing called a jugum that helps in coupling with the hindwing. Pupae form an exposed pupa, also termed a chrysalis. moth caterpillars spin a cocoon made of silk within which they metamorphose into the pupal stage. Colouration of the wings bright colours on their wings. usually plain brown, grey, white or black and often with obscuring patterns of zigzags or swirls. Activity diurnal. nocturnal and crepuscular. Structure of the body have slender and smoother abdomens. have stout and hairy or furry-looking bodies. Scales possess fine scales. larger scales on their wings which makes them look more dense and fluffy. Appearance of eyes apposition eyes. superposition eyes. Resting posture fold their wings above their backs when they are perched. rest with their wings spread out to their sides.
Within Sri Lanka, the latest revision of lepidopterans described 1903 species with 58 families of butterflies and moths. Out of these 1905 species, 208 species are butterflies and 1697 species are moths.The endemic genus Patulognatha with two new species were recorded in 2024.
The family-wise number of moth species are: Family Common name Species Alucitidae - 11 Autostichidae - 6 Batrachedridae - 6 Bombycidae Silkworm moths 3 Brachodidae Little bear moths 6 Callidulidae Day flying moths 1 Carposinidae - 4 Choreutidae Metalmark moths 15 Coleophoridae - 1 Coleophoridae - 1 Cosmopterigidae Cosmet moths 30 Cossidae Carpenter millers 13 Crambidae Grass moths 266 Drepanidae Hooktip moths 9 Depressariidae - 2 Dudgeoneidae - 1 Elachistidae Grass miner moths 10 Epipyropidae Planthopper parasite moths 3 Erebidae Underwing moths 466 Ethmiidae - 1 Eupterotidae Giant lappet moths 15 Gelechiidae Twirler moths 66 Geometridae Geometer moths 219 Glyphipterigidae Sedge moths 14 Gracillariidae Leaf-blotch miner moths 56 Hepialidae Ghost moths 3 Hyblaeidae Teak moths 2 Immidae Imma moths 13 Lacturidae Tropical burnet moths 2 Lasiocampidae Tent moths 15 Lecithoceridae Long horned moths 95 Limacodidae Slug caterpillar moths 26 Lyonetiidae Lyonet moths 7 Momphidae Mompha moths 4 Nepticulidae - 2 Noctuidae Owlet moths 179 Nolidae Nolid moths 70 Notodontidae Prominent moths 40 Plutellidae Diamondback moths 1 Pterophoridae Plume moths 32 Psychidae Bagworm moths 36 Pyralidae Snout moths 90 Saturniidae Giant silkworm moths 7 Sesiidae Clearwing moths 2 Sphingidae Sphinx moths 55 Thyrididae Picture-winged leaf moths 21 Tineidae Fungus moths 44 Tortricidae Leaf-roller moths 174 Uraniidae Swallowtail moths 31 Urodidae False burnet moths 1 Xyloryctidae Giant micromoths 2 Yponomeutidae Ermine moths 2 Zygaenidae Burnet moths 13
Checklist of species Alucitidae Alucita ischalea Alucita mesolychna Alucita microscopica Alucita montigena Alucita niphostrota Alucita postfasciata Alucita sycophanta Alucita thapsina Alucita toxophila Alucita trachyptera Triscaedecia dactyloptera
Autostichidae Encrasima elaeopis Encrasima reversa Encrasima xanthoclista Nephantis serinopa Oegoconia praeramis Stereosticha pilulata
Batrachedridae Batrachedra arenosella Batrachedra aphypnota Batrachedra macroloncha Batrachedra scapulata Batrachedra substrata Batrachedra verax
Blastobasidae Syncola epaphria Meyrick, 1916
Bombycidae Gunda ochracea Gunda thwaitesii Trilocha varians
Brachodidae - little bear moths Nigilgia adjectella Nigilgia anactis Phycodes chionardis Phycodes minor Phycodes radiata Phycodes taonopa
Callidulidae - day-flying moths Tetragonus catamitus
Carposinidae Paramorpha aulata Nosphidia paradoxa Metacosmesis aelinopa Metacosmesis laxeuta
Choreutidae - metalmark moths
Brenthia buthusalis Brenthia catenata Brenthia cyanaula Brenthia entoma Brenthia thoracosema Choreutis achyrodes Choreutis euclista Choreutis ialeura Choreutis orthogona Choreutis ophiosema Choreutis psilachyra Choreutis sexfasciella Choreutis taprobanes Prochoreutis sehestediana Saptha smaragditis
Coleophoridae Coleophora crypsiphanes
Copromorphidae Copromorpha pleurophanes
Cosmopterigidae - cosmet moths
Allotalanta globulosa Anatrachyntis amphisaris Anatrachyntis centrophanes Anatrachyntis falcatella Anatrachyntis mythologica Archisopha foliosa Ascalenia thoracista Cosmopterix aculeata Cosmopterix artifica Cosmopterix basilisca Cosmopterix catharacma Cosmopterix hamifera Cosmopterix panopla Cosmopterix spiculata Cyphothyris ophryodes Homosaces anthocoma Isorrhoa triloxias Labdia arachnitis Labdia faceta Labdia oxychlora Labdia semicoccinea Limnaecia chromaturga Limnaecia magica Limnaecia scaeosema Meleonoma heterota Meleonoma petrota Meleonoma stomota Pyroderces anthinopa Syntomaula tephrota Trissodoris honorariella
Cossidae - carpenter millers
Azygophleps scalaris Duomitus ceramicus Indarbela quadrinotata Isocossus vandeldeni Neurozerra roricyanea Orientozeuzera postexcisa Phragmataecia castaneae Phragmataecia impura Phragmataecia parvipuncta Polyphagozerra coffeae Rugigegat nigra Xyleutes persona Zeuzera pyrina
Crambidae Hemiscopis suffusalis Hydrorybina polusalis
Acentropinae
Agassiziella alicialis Agassiziella angulipennis Agassiziella dianale Agassiziella fuscifusalis Agassiziella niveinotatum Agassiziella picalis Ambia iambealis Ambia tenebrosalis Ambia xantholeuca Cataclysta angulata Dodanga cristata Elophila melagynalis Elophila responsalis Eoophyla sejunctalis Eristena ornata Eristena postalbalis Eristena araealis Eristena pulchellale Eristena melanotalis Eristena fumibasale Nymphicula blandialis Nymphicula nigritalis Nymphula grisealis Opisthedeicta poritialis Paracataclysta fuscalis Parapoynx crisonalis Parapoynx fluctuosalis Parapoynx votalis Parapoynx stagnalis = Nymphula depunctalis Symphonia multipictalis
Crambinae
Ancylolomia argentata Ancylolomia bitubirosella Ancylolomia cervicella Ancylolomia chrysographellus Ancylolomia indica Ancylolomia locupletellus Ancylolomia shefferialis Ancylolomia simplella Ancylolomia taprobanensis Ancylolomia westwoodi Angustalius malacelloides Argyria plumbolinealis Arthroschista hilaralis Calamotropha anticella Calamotropha argenticilia Calamotropha atkinsoni Calamotropha caesella Calamotropha delatalis Calamotropha endopolia Calamotropha indica Calamotropha melanosticta Calamotropha melli Calamotropha neurigrammalis Calamotropha oculalis Calamotropha pseudodielota Calamotropha punctivenellus Calamotropha schwarzi Charltona desistalis Charltona fusca Charltona kala Charltoniada apicella Chilo auricilius Chilo ceylonica Chilo partellus Chilo suppressalis Crambus dianiphalis Culladia admigratella Eschata xanthocera Eschata xanthorhyncha Gargela renatusalis Glaucocharis incisella Glaucocharis minutalis Glaucocharis ochrophanes Haimbachia flavalis Haimbachia lunilinealis Haimbachia strigulalis Leucoides fuscicostalis Mesolia margistrigella Mesolia pandavella Pediasia ochristrigella Pilocrocis milvinalis Prionapteryx scitulellus Pseudocatharylla duplicellus Ptychopseustis argentisparsalis Ptychopseustis fuscivenalis Ptychopseustis plumbeolinealis Roxita adspersella Surattha invectalis Surattha nigrifascialis Thopeutis galleriellus
Cybalomiinae Hendecasis duplifascialis Ptychopseustis argentisparsalis Ptychopseustis fuscivenalis Trichophysetis nigricincta
Epipaschiinae Lepidogma melanolopha Macalla nubilalis Orthaga euadrusalis Salma validalis Teliphasa nubilosa Termioptycha albifurcalis Termioptycha margarita
Evergestinae Crocidolomia suffusalis Crocidolomia pavonana
Musotiminae Drosophantis caerulata
Noordinae Noorda blitealis
Odontiinae Heortia vitessoides
Pyraustinae
Achyra coelatalis Achyra nudalis Anania obliquata Daulia argyrophoralis Euclasta defamatalis Euclasta filigeralis Glauconoe deductalis Hodebertia testalis Hyalobathra illectalis Hyalobathra undulinea Isocentris filalis Mabra eryxalis Massepha absolutalis Nevrina procopia Paliga celatalis Paliga machoeralis Symmoracma minoralis
Schoenobiinae
Catagela adjurella Donacaula dodatellus Patissa curvilinealis Patissa erythrozonalis Patissa lactealis Patissa virginea Ramila acciusalis Ramila ruficostalis Schoenobius immeritalis Scirpophaga fusciflua Scirpophaga incertulas Scirpophaga nivella Scirpophaga whalleyi Scirpophaga xanthogastrella
Scopariinae Scoparia albifusalis Scoparia congestalis Scoparia murificalis
Spilomelinae - spilomeline moths
Aethaloessa calidalis Agathodes ostentalis Agrioglypta eurytusalis Agrioglypta excelsalis Agrotera basinotata Agrotera barcealis Agrotera effertalis Agrotera scissalis Analyta apicalis Archernis capitalis Ategumia adipalis Bocchoris acamasalis Bocchoris inspersalis Bocchoris tenera Bocchoris trivitralis Botyodes asialis Bradina adhaesalis Bradina admixtalis Chalcidoptera emissalis Cirrhochrista bracteolalis Cirrhochrista pulchellalis Cnaphalocrocis medinalis Cnaphalocrocis patnalis Conogethes punctiferalis Cotachena histricalis Cydalima laticostalis Diaphania glauculalis Diaphania indica Diathrausta profundalis Dysallacta negatalis Eurrhyparodes bracteolalis Eurrhyparodes tricoloralis Glycythyma chrysorycta Glyphodes actorionalis Glyphodes bicolor Glyphodes bivitralis Glyphodes caesalis Glyphodes canthusalis Glyphodes onychinalis Glyphodes pyloalis Glyphodes stolalis Haritalodes derogata Herpetogramma basalis Herpetogramma cynaralis Herpetogramma hipponalis Herpetogramma licarsisalis Herpetogramma phaeopteralis Hydriris ornatalis Hymenia perspectalis Ischnurges gratiosalis Lamprosema commixta Lamprosema fuscifimbrialis Leucinodes orbonalis Lygropia distorta Maruca vitrata Metasia tiasalis Metoeca foedalis Mimudea brevialis Nacoleia charesalis Nausinoe geometralis Nausinoe perspectata Nistra coelatalis Omiodes diemenalis Omiodes indicata Omiodes surrectalis Omphisa anastomosalis Omphisa illisalis Pagyda botydalis Pagyda salvalis Palpita annulata Palpita nigropunctalis Pardomima amyntusalis Parotis marinata Patania balteata Patania deficiens Patania iopasalis Patania sabinusalis Patania ultimalis Phostria obscurata Poliobotys ablactalis Polygrammodes sabelialis Polythlipta divaricata Pramadea crotonalis Pramadea lunalis Prophantis octoguttalis Psara admensalis Pycnarmon meritalis Pycnarmon virgatalis Pygospila tyres Rehimena phrynealis Rehimena surusalis Rhimphaliodes macrostigma Sameodes cancellalis Spoladea recurvalis Stemorrhages marthesiusalis Stemorrhages oceanitis Sufetula nitidalis Sufetula rectifascialis Sufetula sunidesalis Syllepte chalybifascia Synclera danalis Synclera rotundalis Synclera traducalis Synclera univocalis Syngamia falsidicalis Syngamia latimarginalis Tatobotys biannulalis Tatobotys janapalis