The Agonoxeninae are a subfamily of moths.

History of classification

Formerly, the subfamily only contained four named species – all in the type genus Agonoxena – if (e.g. following Nielsen et al., 1996). Such a monotypic arrangement is fairly unusual in modern taxonomy without explicit need due to phylogenetic constraints.

Hodges (in Kristensen, 1999) retained the Blastodacnidae in the Agonoxenidae, giving a grouping of some 31 genera, and treating the whole as a subfamily Agonoxeninae of the grass-miner moths (Elachistidae). Collectively, the Agonoxenidae and "Blastodacnidae" are known as palm moths.

Genera

  • Agonoxena <small>Meyrick, 1921</small>
  • Asymphorodes (formerly in Cosmopterigidae)
  • Cladobrostis
  • Diacholotis
  • Gnamptonoma Meyrick, 1917
  • Helcanthica
  • Ischnopsis
  • Nanodacna
  • Nicanthes
  • Pammeces <small>Zeller, 1863</small> (formerly in Cosmopterigidae)
  • Pauroptila
  • Porotica
  • Proterocosma (formerly in Cosmopterigidae)

Former genera

Blastodacna, Dystebenna, Haplochrois, Heinemannia and Spuleria are sometimes placed here, sometimes in the Elachistidae (or Blastodacnidae).

Other genera formerly placed here:

  • Chrysoclista
  • Colonophora
  • Glaucacna
  • Palaeomystella
  • Panclintis
  • Prochola
  • Tocasta <small>Busck, 1912</small>
  • Zaratha

References

  • Nielsen E.S., Edwards E.D. & Rangsi T.V. (eds.) (1996), Checklist of the Lepidoptera of Australia; Monographs on Australian Lepidoptera Volume 4; CSIRO Publishing, Melbourne, 1996
  • Kristensen, N.P. (ed.), 1999. Handbook of Zoology: Bd. 4. Arthropoda: Insecta. Teilbd. 35, Lepidoptera, moths and butterflies. Vol. 1. Evolution, systematics, and biogeography. W.de Gruyter, Berlin.