What are the Lepidoptera?
Q: What are the Lepidoptera?
A: The Lepidoptera are the butterflies and moths.
Q: Are butterflies a natural monophyletic group?
A: Yes, butterflies are a natural monophyletic group.
Q: Are moths a natural monophyletic group?
A: No, moths are not a true natural monophyletic group.
Q: What suborder includes true butterflies, skippers, and butterfly moths?
A: The suborder Rhopalocera includes true butterflies, skippers, and the Hedylidae (butterfly moths).
Q: What suborder do moths usually belong to in Linnaean taxonomy?
A: Moths are usually put in the suborder Heterocera in Linnaean taxonomy.
Q: Do moths look and behave differently from butterflies?
A: Yes, moths look and behave rather different from butterflies, which explains why people came to call them by a different name.
Q: Are there any perfect taxonomic schemes proposed for Lepidoptera?
A: No, none of the taxonomic schemes proposed for Lepidoptera is perfect.
