Biston (moth)

Template:Short description Template:Automatic taxobox Biston is a genus of large, long-winged moths belonging to the family Geometridae. It is most notable for containing the well-known peppered moth. The genus was first described by William Elford Leach in 1815.

Distribution

The species of Biston are widely distributed in Holarctic, Oriental, and Ethiopian regions.

Description

File:Biston antennae.JPG

Antennae of Biston species. 1 bipectinate, with long rami (male of Biston melacron) 2 bipectinate, with short rami (male of Biston thibetaria) 3 filiform (female of Biston betularia). Scale bar = 1 mm

In 1895, British entomologist George Hampson described characteristics of the genus as follows:

"Its palpi are short and hairy. The thorax is stout and clothed with a thick pile. Its legs are hairy. The hind tibia are not dilated and have slight spurs. The forewings have rounded apexes and oblique outer margins. Vein 3 from near angle of cell. Veins 7 to 9 stalked from near the upper angle, and veins 10 and 11 stalked, where 10 often connected with veins 8 and 9. Hindwings with long cells and vein 3 from the angle."<ref>Template:Cite book Template:PD-notice</ref>

Diversity

The genus currently contains 54 species and 40 subspecies. Template:Clear

Species

Species include:

• Biston achyra Wehrli, 1936
• Biston bengaliaria (Guenée, 1857)
• Biston betularia (Linnaeus, 1758) – peppered moth
• Biston brevipennata Inoue, 1982
• Biston bura (Warren, 1894)
• Biston contectaria (Walker, 1863)
• Biston exalbescens Inoue, 2000
• Biston falcata (Warren, 1893)
• Biston giganteus Inoue
• Biston hypoleucus Kuznetsov, 1901
• Biston inouei Holloway, 1993
• Biston insularis (Warren, 1894)
• Biston marginata Shiraki, 1913
• Biston mediolata Jiang, Nan, Dayong Xue & Hongxiang Han, 2011
• Biston melacron Wehrli, 1941
• Biston multidentata (Guedet, 1941)
• Biston panterinaria (Bremer & Grey, 1853)
• Biston pelidna Prout
• Biston perclara (Warren, 1899)
• Biston pustulata (Warren, 1896)
• Biston quercii (Oberthür, 1910)
• Biston regalis (Moore, 1888)
• Biston robustum Butler, 1879
• Biston strataria (Hufnagel, 1767) – oak beauty
• Biston subregalis Inoue
• Biston suppressaria (Guenée, 1857)
• Biston thibetaria (Oberthür, 1886)
• Biston thoracicarius (Oberthür, 1884)
• Biston tianschanicus Wehrli, 1940

References

• Template:Cite web
• Watson, L., and Dallwitz, M.J. 2003 onwards. British insects: the genera of Lepidoptera-Geometridae. Version: 29 December 2011 [1] Full description
• Caterpillar Hostplant DatabaseTemplate:Dead link
• Nomina Insecta Nearctica
• Fauna Europaea

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