Hyposmocoma IV

The moth genus Hyposmocoma is a highly diverse group of micro-lepidopterans endemic to the Hawaiian islands. With more than 300 described species and more than 600 thought to exist, this group demonstrates the speciation potential for early colonizers to young islands chains where there is still an abundance of ecological niches to occupy. The group is believed to have invaded the islands more than 15 million years ago, long before any of todays high islands emerged out of the ocean. Hyposmocoma are well known for their unique larvae which construct silken cases carried with them as a form of shelter. Phylogenetically speaking, the different species of Hyposmocoma form clades (monophyletic groups) based on their case types. This means that all of the species of one case type, are more closely related, regardless of their island of origin, than they are to other species of Hyposmocoma with different case types but from the same island of origin. Hyposmocoma are also ecologically unique among the lepidopterans. Species are found in terrestrial and aquatic habitats (amphibious capabilities are thought to have evolved independently three times); they can be carnivores, herbivores or detritivores; and one species of Hyposmocoma is the only lepidopteran known to feed on molluscs, in this case snails. Please help us transcribe the UHIM specimens from this highly unique and evolutionarily valuable endemic radiation of Hyposmocoma moths! The total number of tasks for this dataset is: 243, number transcribed is 138 and number validated is 0. This data resource is harvested periodically into the main occurrence index.