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

thumb|left|200px|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."

Diversity

The genus currently contains 54 species and 40 subspecies.

Species

Species include:

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

References

  • Watson, L., and Dallwitz, M.J. 2003 onwards. British insects: the genera of Lepidoptera-Geometridae. Version: 29 December 2011 [https://web.archive.org/web/20150402151616/http://delta-intkey.com/britin/geo/www/biston.htm] Full description
  • Caterpillar Hostplant Database
  • Nomina Insecta Nearctica
  • Fauna Europaea