Prehistoric Lepidoptera are both butterflies and moths that lived before recorded history. The fossil record for Lepidoptera is lacking in comparison to other winged species, and tending not to be as common as some other insects in the habitats that are most conducive to fossilization, such as lakes and ponds, and their juvenile stage has only the head capsule as a hard part that might be preserved. The location and abundance of the most common moth species are indicative that mass migrations of moths occurred over the Palaeogene North Sea, which is why there is a serious lack of moth fossils. Yet there are fossils, some preserved in amber and some in very fine sediments. Leaf mines are also seen in fossil leaves, although the interpretation of them is tricky.
Putative fossil stem group representatives of Amphiesmenoptera (the clade comprising Trichoptera and Lepidoptera) are known from the Triassic. The earliest known fossil lepidopteran are three wings of Archaeolepis mane from the Jurassic, about 190 million years ago, found in Dorset, UK. The fossil belongs to a small primitive moth-like species, and its wings are showing scales with parallel grooves under a scanning electron microscope and a characteristic wing venation pattern shared with Trichoptera (caddisflies). Only two more sets of Jurassic lepidopteran fossils have been found, as well as 13 sets from the Cretaceous, which all belong to primitive moth-like families. Many more fossils are found from the Cenozoic, and particularly the Eocene Baltic amber. The oldest genuine butterflies of the superfamily Papilionoidea have been found in the Paleocene MoClay or Fur Formation of Denmark. The best preserved fossil lepidopteran is considered to be the Eocene Prodryas persephone from the Florissant Fossil Beds.
Lepidoptera and Trichoptera (caddisflies) are more closely related than any other taxa, sharing many similarities that are lacking in other insect orders; for example the females of both orders are heterogametic, meaning they have two different sex chromosomes, whereas in most species the males are heterogametic and the females have two identical sex chromosomes. The adults in both orders display a particular wing venation pattern on their forewings. The larvae of both orders have mouth structures and a gland with which they make and manipulate silk. Willi Hennig grouped the two sister orders into the Amphiesmenoptera superorder. This group probably evolved in the Jurassic, having split from the now extinct order Necrotaulidae.
Micropterigidae, Agathiphagidae and Heterobathmiidae are the oldest and most basal lineages of Lepidoptera. The adults of these families do not have the curled tongue or proboscis, that are found in most members order, but instead have chewing mandibles adapted for a special diet. Micropterigidae larvae feed on leaves, fungi, or liverworts (much like the Trichoptera). Adult Micropterigidae chew the pollen or spores of ferns. In the Agathiphagidae, larvae live inside kauri pines and feed on seeds. In Heterobathmiidae the larvae feed on the leaves of Nothofagus, the southern beech tree. These families also have mandibles in the pupal stage, which help the pupa emerge from the seed or cocoon after metamorphosis.
The Eriocraniidae have a short coiled proboscis in the adult stage, and though they retain their pupal mandibles with which they escaped the cocoon, their mandibles are non-functional thereafter. Most of these non-ditrysian families, are primarily leaf miners in the larval stage. In addition to the proboscis, there is a change in the scales among these basal lineages, with later lineages showing more complex perforated scales.
With the evolution of the Ditrysia in the mid-Cretaceous, there was a major reproductive change. The Ditrysia, which comprise 98% of the Lepidoptera, have two separate openings for reproduction in the females (as well as a third opening for excretion), one for mating, and one for laying eggs. The two are linked internally by a seminal duct. (In more basal lineages there is one cloaca, or later, two openings and an external sperm canal.) Of the early lineages of Ditrysia, Gracillarioidea and Gelechioidea are mostly leaf miners, but more recent lineages feed externally. In the Tineoidea, most species feed on plant and animal detritus and fungi, and build shelters in the larval stage.
The Yponomeutoidea is the first group to have significant numbers of species whose larvae feed on herbaceous plants, as opposed to woody plants. They evolved about the time that flowering plants underwent an expansive adaptive radiation in the mid-Cretaceous, and the Gelechioidea that evolved at this time also have great diversity. Whether the processes involved co-evolution or sequential evolution, the diversity of the Lepidoptera and the angiosperms increased together.
In the so-called "macrolepidoptera", which constitutes about 60% of lepidopteran species, there was a general increase in size, better flying ability (via changes in wing shape and linkage of the forewings and hindwings), reduction in the adult mandibles, and a change in the arrangement of the crochets (hooks) on the larval prolegs, perhaps to improve the grip on the host plant. Many also have tympanal organs, that allow them to hear. These organs evolved eight times, at least, because they occur on different body parts and have structural differences. The main lineages in the macrolepidoptera are the Noctuoidea, Bombycoidea, Lasiocampidae, Mimallonoidea, Geometroidea and Rhopalocera. Bombycoidea plus Lasiocampidae plus Mimallonoidea may be a monophyletic group. The Rhopalocera, comprising the Papilionoidea (butterflies), Hesperioidea (skippers), and the Hedyloidea (moth-butterflies), are the most recently evolved. There is quite a good fossil record for this group, with the oldest skipper dating from 56 million years ago.
This is a list of all recorded fossil Lepidoptera species.
Taxa marked with † are extinct
†Bombycites Heer, 1849
†Bombycites oeningensis Heer, 1849 (Croatia, Oeningen, described from a pupa)
†Karataunia Kozlov, 1989
†Karataunia lapidaria Kozlov, 1989 (Kazakhstan, Upper Jurassic)
†Phylledestes Cockerell, 1907
†Phylledestes vorax Cockerell, 1907 (Colorado, Florissant – in the Miocene shales, described from a larva)
†Protolepis Kozlov, 1989
†Protolepis cuprealata Kozlov, 1989 (Kazakhstan, Upper Jurassic)
†Thermojana Yang & Chen, 1995
†Thermojana sinica Yang & Chen, 1995 (China) (originally placed in Eupterotidae)
†Pamphilites Scudder, 1875
†Pamphilites abdita Scudder, 1875 (Aix-en-Provence, Oligocene)
†Thanatites Scudder, 1875
†Thanatites vetula (Heyden, 1859) (Western Germany, Cenozoic) (originally in Nymphalidae)
†Lithodryas Cockerell, 1909 – Lycaenidae, Nymphalidae?
†Lithodryas styx (Scudder, 1889)
†Lithopsyche Butler, 1889 – Lycaenidae, Riodinidae?
†Lithopsyche antiqua Butler, 1889
†Riodinella Durden & Rose, 1978
†Riodinella nympha Durden & Rose, 1978 (Colorado, Middle Eocene) – Nymphalidae, Pieridae, Riodinidae?
†Aquisextana Theobald, 1937
†Aquisextana irenaei Theobald, 1937 (France, Early Oligocene)
†Apanthesis Scudder, 1889
†Apanthesis leuce Scudder, 1889 (Colorado, Florissant)
†Barbarothea Scudder, 1892
†Barbarothea florissanti Scudder, 1892 (Colorado, Florissant)
Doxocopa Hübner, 1819
†Doxocopa wilmattae (Cockerell, 1907) (Colorado, Florissant) (originally in Chlorippe)
Hestina Westwood, 1850
Hestina japonica (C. et R. Felder)
†Jupitellia Carpenter, 1985
†Jupitellia charon (Scudder, 1889) (originally in Jupiteria)
†Lethites Scudder, 1875
†Lethites reynesii (Scudder, 1872)
Undescribed Limenitis species
†Mylothrites Scudder, 1875
†Mylothrites pluto (Heer, 1850) (Europe, Oligocene) (originally in Vanessa)
†Neorinella Martins, Kucera-Santos, Vieira & Fr, 1993
†Neorinella garciae Martines-Neto, 1993
†Neorinopis Butler, 1873
†Neorinopis sepulta (Boisduval, 1840) (France, Early Oligocene)
†Nymphalites Scudder, 1889
†Nymphalites obscurum Scudder, 1889 (Colorado, Florissant)
†Nymphalites scudderi Beutenmller and Cockerell, 1908
†Nymphalites zeuneri Jarembowski, 1980
†Prodryas Scudder, 1878
†Prodryas persephone Scudder, 1878
†Prolibythea Scudder, 1889
†Prolibythea vagabunda Scudder, 1889 (Colorado, Florissant)
Vanessa Fabricius, 1807
†Vanessa amerindica Miller and Brown, 1989 (Colorado, Florissant)
†Doritites Rebel, 1898
†Doritites bosniackii Rebel, 1898 (Italy, Tuscany, Miocene) (sometimes in Luehdorfia)
†Praepapilio Durden & Rose, 1978
†Praepapilio colorado Durden & Rose, 1978
†Praepapilio gracilis Durden & Rose 1978
†Thaites Scudder, 1875
†Thaites ruminianus Scudder, 1875 (France, Aix-en-Provence, Oligocene)
†Coliates Scudder, 1875
†Coliates proserpina Scudder, 1875
†Oligodonta Brown, 1976
†Oligodonta florissantensis Brown, 1976 (Colorado, Oligocene)
Pontia Fabricius, 1807
†Pontia freyeri (Heer, 1849)
†Stolopsyche Scudder, 1889
†Stolopsyche libytheoides Scudder, 1889 (Colorado, Cenozoic)
Voltinia Stichel, 1910
†Voltinia dramba Hall, Robbins & Harvey 2004
Aglia Ochsenheimer, 1810
Aglia tau (Linnaeus, 1758)
Rothschildia Grote, 1896
†Rothschildia fossilis Cockerell, 1914 (originally in Attacus)
†Mioclanis Zhang, Sun & Zhang, 1994
†Mioclanis shanwangiana Zhang, Sun & Zhang, 1994
†Sphingidites Kernbach, 1967
†Sphingidites weidneri Kernbach, 1967
Copromorpha Meyrick, 1886
†Copromorpha fossilis Jarzembowski, 1980
†Adelopsyche Cockerell, 1926
†Adelopsyche frustrans Cockerell, 1926 (Colorado, Florissant)
†Gurnetia Cockerell, 1921
†Gurnetia durranti Cockerell, 1921 (Isle of Wight)
†Daiopterix Skalski, 1984
†Daiopterix rasnitsyni Skalski, 1984
†Daiopterix olgae Kozlov, 1989
†Eolepidopterix Rasnitsyn, 1983
Eolepidopterix jurassica Rasnitsyn, 1983
Gracilepteryx Martins-Neto and Vulcano, 1989
†Gracilepteryx pulchra Martins-Neto and Vulcano, 1989
†Netoxena Sohn in Sohn et al., 2012
†Netoxena nana (Martins-Neto, 1999)
†Psamateia Martins-Neto, 2002
†Psamateia calipsa Martins-Neto, 2002
†Undopterix Skalski, 1979 (sometimes in Undopterigidae Kozlov, 1988)
†Undopterix sukatshevae Skalski, 1979
†Undopterix cariensis Martins-Neto and Vulcano, 1989
†Eriocranites Kernbach, 1967
†Eriocranites hercynicus Kernbach, 1967
†Symmocites Kusnezov, 1941
†Symmocites rohdendorfi Kusnezov, 1941
†Elachistites Kozlov, 1987
†Elachistites inclusus Kozlov, 1987 (Baltic region, Eocene)
†Elachistites sukatshevae Kozlov, 1987 (Baltic region, Eocene)
Ethmia Hübner, [1819]
†Ethmia mortuella Scudder, 1890 (Colorado, Florissant)
†Borkhausenites Rebel, 1934
†Borkhausenites angustipenella Rebel, 1935
†Borkhausenites bachofeni Rebel, 1934
†Borkhausenites crassella Rebel, 1935
†Borkhausenites implicatella Rebel, 1935
†Borkhausenites incolumella Rebel, 1934
†Borkhausenites ingentella Rebel, 1935
†Borkhausenites vulneratella Rebel, 1935
†Depressarites Rebel, 1936
†Depressarites blastuliferella Rebel, 1935
†Depressarites levipalpella Rebel, 1935
†Epiborkhausenites Skalski, 1973 (Bartonian, Baltic amber, Lithuania)
†Epiborkhausenites obscurotrimaculatus Skalski, 1973
†Glesseumeyrickia Kusnezov, 1941
†Glesseumeyrickia henrikseni Kusnezov, 1941
†Hexerites Cockerell, 1933 (originally in Thyrididae)
†Hexerites primalis Cockerell, 1933
†Microsymmocites Skalski, 1977
†Microsymmocites Skalski, 1977
†Neoborkhausenites Skalski, 1977
†Neoborkhausenites incertella (Rebel, 1935) (originally in Borkhausenites)
†Palaeodepressaria Skalski, 1979
†Palaeodepressaria hannemanni Skalski, 1979
†Paraborkhausenites Kusnezov, 1941
†Paraborkhausenites innominatus Kusnezov, 1941
†Paraborkhausenites vicinella (Rebel, 1935) (originally in Borkhausenites)
†Oegoconiites Kusnezov, 1941
†Oegoconiites borisjaki Kusnezov, 1941 (Baltic region, Oligocene amber)
†Geometridites Clark et al., 1971
†Geometridites jordani Kernbach, 1967 (Willershausen, Pliocene)
†Geometridites larentiiformis Jarzembowski, 1980
†Geometridites repens Kernbach, 1967
Hydriomena Hübner, (1825)
†Hydriomena? protrita Cockerell, 1922 (Priabonian, Florissant Formation, Colorado)
Bucculatrix Zeller, 1839
†Bucculatrix platani Kozlov, 1988 (Kazakhstan, Late Cretaceous)
†Gracillariites Kozlov, 1987
†Gracillariites lithuanicus Kozlov, 1987
†Gracillariites mixtus Kozlov, 1987
Two undescribed Phyllocnistis species
One undescribed Lithocolletis species
†Oiophassus J. F. Zhang, 1989
†Oiophassus nycterus Zhang, 1989
†Prohepialus Piton, 1940
†Prohepialus incertus Piton, 1940 (Menat, France, Cenozoic)
†Protohepialus Pierce, 1945
†Protohepialus comstocki Pierce, 1945
Adela Latreille, 1796
†Adela kuznetzovi Kozlov, 1987
†Adela similis Kozlov, 1987
†Adelites Rebel 1934
†Adelites electrella Rebel, 1934
†Adelites purpurascens Rebel, 1935
†Adelites serraticornella Rebel, 1935
An undescribed †Adelites species
†Incurvarites Rebel, 1934
†Incurvarites alienella Rebel, 1934
†Prophalonia Rebel, 1936 (originally placed in Tortricidae)
†Prophalonia gigas Rebel, 1935
†Prophalonia scutitarsella Rebel, 1935
†Auliepterix Kozlov, 1989
†Auliepterix minima Kozlov, 1989
†Auliepterix mirabilis Kozlov, 1989
†Baltimartyria Skalski, 1995
†Baltimartyria rasnitsyni Mey, 2011
†Baltimartyria proavitella (Rebel, 1936)
Micropterix Hübner, 1825
†Micropterix anglica Jarzembowski, 1980
†Micropterix gertraudae Kurz M. A & M. E. Kurz, 2010
†Micropterix immensipalpa (Kusnezov, 1941) (sometimes placed in Eriocraniidae as Electrocrania immensipalpa)
†Moleropterix Engel & Kinzelbach, 2008
†Moleropterix kalbei Engel & Kinzelbach, 2008 (sometimes placed in Eolepidopterigidae)
†Palaeolepidopterix Kozlov, 1989
†Palaeolepidopterix aurea Kozlov, 1989
†Palaeosabatinca Kozlov, 1989
†Palaeosabatinca zherichini Kozlov, 1988
†Parasabatinca Whalley, 1978
†Parasabatinca aftimacrai Whalley, 1978
†Parasabatinca caldasae Martins Neto & Vulcano, 1989
Sabatinca Walker, 1863
†Sabatinca perveta (Cockerell, 1919)
†Foliofossor Jarzembowski, 1989
†Foliofossor cranei Jarzembwoski, 1989 (Paleocene; England; mines in Platanus sp. leaves) (originally placed in Agromyzidae)
†Stigmellites Kernbach, 1967
†Stigmellites araliae (Fric, 1882) (Czech Republic; mine in Araliaceae sp. leaf)
†Stigmellites baltica (Kozlov, 1988) (Eocene; Baltic amber; mine)
†Stigmellites caruini-orientalis Straus, 1977 (Pliocene; Hessen, Germany; mine in Carpinus orientalis fossilis leaf)
†Stigmellites heringi Kernbach, 1967 (Pliocene; Hessen, Germany; mine in Berberis sp. leaf)
†Stigmellites kzyldzharica (Kozlov, 1988) (Kazakhstan; mine in Platanus sp. leaf)
†Stigmellites messelensis Straus, 1976 (Eocene; Messel, Germany; mine)
†Stigmellites pliotityrella Kernbach, 1967 (Pliocene; Hessen, Germany; mine in Fagus silvatica leaf)
†Stigmellites samsonovi Kozlov, 1988 (Kazakhstan; mine in Trochodendroides arctica leaf)
†Stigmellites serpentina (Kozlov, 1988) (Kazakhstan mine in Trochodendroides arctica leaf)
†Stigmellites sharovi (Kozlov, 1988) (Kazakhstan mine in Trochodendroides arctica leaf)
†Stigmellites tyshchenkoi (Kozlov, 1988) (Kazakhstan mine in Platanus latior leaf)
†Stigmellites zelkovae Straus, 1977 (Pliocene; Hessen, Germany; mine in Zelkova sp. leaf)
†Oligamatites Kusnezov, 1928
†Oligamatites martynovi Kusnezov, 1928 (Kazakhstan, Upper Oligocene)
†Stauropolia Skalski, 1988
†Stauropolia nekrutenkoi Skalski, 1988 (Caucasus, Miocene)
One undescribed Euproctis species
†Noctuites Heer, 1849
†Noctuites haidingeri Heer, 1849 (Croatia, Radoboj, Cenozoic)
†Xyleutites Kozhanchikov, 1957
†Xyleutites miocenicus Kozhanchikov, 1957 (northern Caucasus, Miocene) (originally in Cossidae)
†Cerurites Kernbach, 1967
†Cerurites wagneri Kernbach, 1967 (Germany, Willershausen, Cenozoic)
Pterophorus Schäffer, 1766
†Pterophorus oligocenus Bigot, Nel & Nel, 1986
†Gallerites Kernbach, 1967
†Gallerites keleri Kernbach, 1967
†Glendotricha Kusnezov, 1941
†Glendotricha olgae Kusnezov , 1941
†Pyralites Heer, 1856
†Pyralites obscures Heer, 1856
†Pyralites preecei Jarzembowski, 1980
†Dominickus Tindale, 1985
†Dominickus castinodes Tindale, 1985 (Priabonian, Florissant Formation, Colorado)
Dahlica Enderlein, 1912
Dahlica triquetrella (Hübner, 1813) (Baltic amber)
†Palaeopsyche Sobczyk & Kobbert, 2009
†Palaeopsyche secundum Sobczyk & Kobbert, 2009 (Baltic amber)
†Palaeopsyche transversum Sobczyk & Kobbert, 2009 (Baltic amber)
†Psychites Kozlov, 1989
†Psychites pristinella Kozlov, 1989 (Baltic region, Cenozoic, amber)
Siederia Meier, 1957
Siederia pineti (Zeller, 1852)
Sterrhopterix Hübner, 1825
†Sterrhopteryx pristinella Rebel, 1934
Taleporia Hübner, 1825
Taleporia tubulosa (Retzius, 1783)
Bacotia Tutt, 1899
Bacotia claustrella (Bruand, 1845)
†Architinea Rebel, 1934
†Architinea balticella Rebel, 1934
†Architinea sepositella Rebel, 1934
†Dysmasiites Kusnezov, 1941
†Dysmasiites carpenteri Kusnezov, 1941
†Electromeessia Kozlov, 1987
†Electromeessia zagulijaevi Kozlov, 1987 (Baltic region, Eocene amber)
†Glessoscardia Kusnezov, 1941
†Glessoscardia gerasimovi Kusnezov, 1941
†Martynea Kusnezov, 1941
†Martynea rebeli Kusnezov, 1941
†Monopibaltia Skalski, 1974
†Monopibaltia ignitella Skalski, 1974 (Baltic region, Eocene amber)
†Palaeoinfurcitinea Kozlov, 1987
†Palaeoinfurcitinea rohdendorfi Kozlov, 1987 (Russia, Eocene amber)
†Palaeoscardiites Kusnezov, 1941
†Palaeoscardiites mordvilkoi Kusnezov, 1941
†Palaeotinea Kozlov, 1987
†Palaeotinea rasnitsyni Kozlov, 1987
†Paratriaxomasia Jarzembowski, 1980
†Paratriaxomasia solentensis Jarzembowski, 1980
†Proscardiites Kusnezov, 1941
†Proscardiites martynovi Kusnezov, 1941
†Pseudocephitinea Kozlov, 1987
†Pseudocephitinea svetlanae Kozlov, 1987 (Russia, Eocene amber)
†Scardiites Kusnezov, 1941
†Scardiites meyricki Kusnezov, 1941
†Simulotenia Skalski, 1977
†Simulotenia intermedia Skalski, 1977
†Tillyardinea Kusnezov, 1941
†Tillyardinea eocaenica Kusnezov, 1941
Tinea Linnaeus, 1758
†Tinea antique Rebel, 1822
†Tineitella Fletcher, 1940
†Tineitella crystalli Kawall, 1876 (originally in Tineites)
†Tineitella sucinacius Kozlov, 1987 (originally in Tineites)
†Tineolamima Rebel, 1934
†Tineolamima aurella Rebel, 1934
†Tineosemopsis Skalski, 1974
†Tineosemopsis decurtatus Skalski, 1974
†Electresia Kusnezov, 1941
†Electresia zalesskii Kusnezov, 1941 (Baltic region, Eocene amber)
†Spatalistiforma Skalski, 1992
†Spatalistiforma submerga Skalski, 1981 (Baltic amber)
†Tortricibaltia Skalski, 1992
†Tortricibaltia diakonoffi Skalski, 1981 (Baltic amber)
†Tortricidrosis Skalski, 1973
†Tortricidrosis inclusa Skalski, 1973
Tortrix Linnaeus, 1758
†Tortrix? destructus Cockerell, 1916 (Priabonian, Florissant Formation, Colorado)
†Tortrix? florissantana Cockerell, 1907 (Priabonian, Florissant Formation, Colorado)
†Baltonides Skalski, 1981
†Baltonides roeselliformis Skalski, 1981 (Baltic region, Late Eocene)
†Prolyonetia Kusnezov, 1941 (Eocene; Baltic amber, Europe)
†Prolyonetia cockerelli Kusnezov, 1941
†Epinomeuta Rebel, 1936
†Epinomeuta truncatipennella Rebel, 1936
Neurosymploca Wallengren, 1858
†Neurosymploca? oligocenica Fernández-Rubio & Nel, 2000 (Lower Stampian, Céreste, Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, France)
Zygaena Fabricius, 1775
†"Zygaena" miocaenica Reiss, 1936 (Germany)
†"Zygaena" turolensis Fernández-Rubio, de Olano & Cunarro, 1991
†Zygaenites Burgeff, 1951
†Zygaenites controversus Burgeff, 1951 (Germany, Miocene)
†Archaeolepis Whalley, 1985
†Archaeolepis mane Whalley, 1985
†Curvicubitus Hong, 1984
†Curvicubitus triassicus Hong, 1984 (China, Middle Triassic)
†Mesokristensenia Huang, Nel & Minet, 2010
†Mesokristensenia angustipenna Huang, Nel & Minet, 2010
†Mesokristensenia latipenna Huang, Nel & Minet, 2010
†Mesokristensenia sinica Huang, Nel & Minet, 2010
Several fossils originally described as lepidopterans have subsequently been assigned to other groups, some as basal Amphiesmenoptera, others into other entirely distinct insect orders.
†Eocorona Tindale, 1980
†Eocorona iani Tindale, 1980 (Queensland, Mid-Triassic)
†Cyllonium Westwood, 1854
†Cyllonium boidusvalianum Westwood, 1854
†Cyllonium hewitsonianum Westwood, 1854
†Eoses Tindale, 1945
†Eoses triassica Tindale 1945, disputed to be a synonym of †Mesochorista proavita Tillyard 1916 in the Mecoptera
From the late middle Jurassic (164-165 mya) from the Daohugou fossil-beds of Inner Mongolia.
†Choristopsyche Martynov, 1937†Choristopsyche tenuinervis Martynov, 1937
†Choristopsyche perfecta Qiao, Shih, Petrulevičius & Ren Dong, 2013
†Choristopsyche asticta Qiao, Shih, Petrulevičius & Ren Dong, 2013
†Paristopsyche Qiao, Shih, Petrulevičius & Ren Dong, 2013†Paristopsyche angelineae Qiao, Shih, Petrulevičius & Ren Dong, 2013
