Nepticulidae

Dobrynina, Viktorija, Stonis, Jonas R., Diškus, Arūnas, Solis, M. Alma, Baryshnikova, Svetlana V. & Shin, Young-Min, 2022, Global Nepticulidae, Opostegidae, and Tischeriidae (Lepidoptera): temporal dynamics of species descriptions and their authors, Zootaxa 5099 (4), pp. 450-474 : 456

Documenting of the global Nepticulidae

The first species of this family, Ectoedemia occultella , was described in 1767 ( Linnaeus 1767). From then on, discoveries and descriptions of Nepticulidae occurred unevenly across 23 time periods (i.e., decades) from 1767 until 2021 ( Fig. 34 ).

After the first species was published, the discovery of new species proceeded very slowly until 1840, but then starting in 1841 and continuing until 1890, the number of new pygmy moths soared. However, 1881–1900 marked a recession, and then in 1901, a general tendency for an increase in the number of discoveries of new species was observed with slight fluctuations. Two periods clearly stand out: 1971–1980 and especially 2011–2021, during which the largest numbers of new species were discovered and described. Understandably, the total, accumulative number of new species of Nepticulidae increased with each time period, but it was particularly apparent during 1971–1980 when the curve of the total number of species rose steeply. During the 255 years of research, 1,000 species were discovered, about 3.92 average species per year. But there is great difference in the average of species described per year between the early 20th and early 21st centuries.

Figures

FIGURES 34, 35. Dynamics of species descriptions during various time periods. 34, Nepticulidae; 35, Opostegidae