The geometer moths are moths belonging to the family Geometridae of the insect order Lepidoptera, the moths and butterflies. Their scientific name derives from the Ancient Greek (') (derivative form of or "the earth"), and (') "measure" in reference to the way their larvae, or inchworms, appear to measure the earth as they move along in a looping fashion. Geometridae is a very large family, containing around 23,000 described species; over 1400 species from six subfamilies are indigenous to North America alone.

In 2019, the first geometrid caterpillar in Baltic amber was discovered by German scientists. Described under Eogeometer vadens, it measured about and was estimated to be 44 million years old, dating back to the Eocene epoch. It was described as the earliest evidence for the subfamily of Ennominae, particularly the tribe Boarmiini.

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File:Looper.webm|thumbtime=0 |Locomotion of a looper

File:Geometridae-Dinakarr-10Jun11-DSC 0186.jpg|A geometrid caterpillar camouflaged as a broken twig

File:Geometridae locomotion.jpg|Caterpillar locomotion

File:Synchlora aerata caterpillar.jpg|Synchlora aerata caterpillar dressed with pieces of flowers as camouflage

Geometrid Moths (Geometridae) caterpillar -2.jpg|Geometrid moth (Geometridae) "inchworm" caterpillar

Geometrid Moths (Geometridae) caterpillar.jpg|Geometrid moth (Geometridae) "inchworm" caterpillar

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Adults

Many geometrids have slender abdomens and broad wings which are usually held flat with the hindwings visible. As such, they appear rather butterfly-like, but in most respects they are typical moths. The majority fly at night. They possess a frenulum to link the wings, and the antennae of the males are often feathered. They tend to blend into the background, often with intricate, wavy patterns on their wings. In some species, females have reduced wings (e.g. winter moth and fall cankerworm). However, the Oenochrominae are polyphyletic, falling in three clades within the tree.

Moreover, later work suggested that the Larentiinae are actually the sister lineage to all other groups in the family, as indicated by their numerous plesiomorphies and DNA sequence data; they may even be considered a separate family of Geometroidea.

Molecular phylogenetics with broad taxonomic sampling indicates that a clade consisting of the Sterrhinae and some members of the Oenochrominae is sister to all remaining lineages in the Geometridae. species; holarctic, southern Andes and Tasmania, though the latter some seem to belong to the Ennominae,

  • †Geometridites <small>Clark et al., 1971</small>

References

Further reading

  • "Family Geometridae" at Insecta.pro
  • Anacamptodes pergracilis, cypress looper on the University of Florida / Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Featured Creatures website
  • Geometridae species in New Zealand
  • Geometridae species in Portugal