The Cossinae are the nominate subfamily of the Cossidae (carpenter or goat moths). The caterpillars of several Cossinae species, such as the carpenterworm (Prionoxystus robiniae) and the goat moth (Cossus cossus), are significant pests. On the other hand, in Chile the caterpillars of the Chilean moth (Chilecomadia moorei) are collected on a commercial scale for sale as fishing bait and terrarium pet food; they are usually called "butterworms" in international trade.

Cossinae
Carpenterworm moth
(Prionoxystus robiniae)
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Cossidae
Subfamily: Cossinae
Leach, 1830
Genera

Numerous, see text

The Cossulinae have been separated from the Cossinae in recent decades, but this was not universally accepted at first. Some misplaced genera have been moved between the subfamilies, and as it seems the Cossulinae at least now represent a monophyletic group.

Systematics

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Some significant species are also listed:[1]

Former genera

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  • Bifiduncus
  • Butaya Yakovlev, 2004
  • Catopta Staudinger, 1899
  • Chiangmaiana Kemal & Koçak, 2005 (≡Nirvana Yakovlev, 2004 nom. invalid.(preoc.name) non Stål, 1859 nec Kirkaldy, 1900 nec Yakovlev, 2007 nec Tsukuda & Nishiyama, 1979);(≡Nirrvanna Yakovlev, 2007 nom. invalid.( junior object. syn.), objective replacement name (mistaken repl.n.))
  • Chilecomadia
  • Danielostygia Reisser, 1962 (tentatively placed here)
  • Lamellocossus Daniel, 1956 (tentatively placed here)
  • Toronia Barnes & McDunnough, 1911
  • Yakovlevina Kemal & Koçak, 2005 (=Garuda Yakovlev, 2005)
  • Stygia Latreille, 1803 (tentatively placed here)

Footnotes

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  1. ^ See references in Savela (2008)

References

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