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Hyposmocoma

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Hyposmocoma
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Cosmopterigidae
Subfamily: Cosmopteriginae
Genus: Hyposmocoma
Butler, 1881
Synonyms
  • Euperissus Butler, 1881
  • Diplosara Meyrick, 1883
  • Agonismus Walsingham, 1907
  • Aphthonetus Walsingham, 1907
  • Bubaloceras Walsingham, 1907
  • Dysphoria Walsingham, 1907
  • Hyperdasys Walsingham, 1907
  • Neelysia Walsingham, 1907
  • Rhinomactrum Walsingham, 1907
  • Semnoprepia Walsingham, 1907
  • Euhyposmocoma Swezey, 1913
  • Petrochroa Busck, 1914[1]
  • Phthoraula Meyrick, 1935
  • Hyperdasysella T. B. Fletcher, 1940
  • Hyposmochoma Auctt. (misspelling)

Hyposmocoma is a genus of moths with more 350 species endemic to the Hawaiian Islands whose larvae are referred to by the common name of Hawaiian fancy case caterpillars.[2] The genus was first described by Arthur Gardiner Butler in 1881. Most species of Hyposmocoma have plant-based diets, but four species, such as Hyposmocoma molluscivora, eat snails. The caterpillars spin silk, which they then use to capture and eat snails. These are the first caterpillars known to eat snails (or mollusks of any kind).[3] One unnamed species in the genus, dubbed the "bone collector", lives in association with spiders, forming a case from the shed body parts from the spider and remnants of the spider's prey items, providing camouflage while it feeds on discarded prey in the spider's web.[4]

Some species feature amphibious caterpillars. This trait has evolved at least three times within this genus.[5]

Species

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There are a number of undescribed species.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Busck, August (1914). "New Microlepidoptera from Hawaii". Insecutor Inscitiae Menstruus. 2 (7): 104–105.
  2. ^ Lee, Gayoung (24 April 2025). "Carnivorous 'Bone Collector' Caterpillars Wear Corpses as Camouflage". Scientific American. Retrieved 9 May 2025.
  3. ^ Rubinoff D, Haines WP (July 2005). "Web-spinning caterpillar stalks snails". Science. 309 (5734): 575. doi:10.1126/science.1110397. PMID 16040699. S2CID 42604851.
  4. ^ Daniel Rubinoff et al. (2025) Hawaiian caterpillar patrols spiderwebs camouflaged in insect prey’s body parts. Science 388:428-430. DOI:10.1126/science.ads4243
  5. ^ Roach, John (July 21, 2005). "Flesh-Eating Caterpillars Discovered in Hawaii". National Geographic News. Archived from the original on July 22, 2011.
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