There are over 4000 known moth species in Iran. Moths (mostly nocturnal) and butterflies (mostly diurnal) together make up the taxonomic order Lepidoptera.
In 2023 the results of a 13-year megaproject about the Lepidoptera of Iran were produced as Lepidoptera Iranica. It was published as a special issue of Integrative Systematics: Stuttgart Contributions to Natural History and provides a comprehensive overview of the Lepidoptera of Iran. It involved an international collaboration between 73 researchers, who reviewed published and unpublished data. The project was led and edited by Hossein Rajaei of the State Museum of Natural History Stuttgart in Germany) and Ole Karsholt of the Natural History Museum of Denmark.
The authors also added hundreds of new records from institutional and private collections. In total, 4,812 butterfly and moth species were documented as part of the project, including the first records of three families and 182 species for Iran. Four species new to science were discovered and several taxonomic changes were proposed. The special issue also provides a historical overview of lepidopterology in Iran, as well as an analysis of Iranian Lepidoptera and an estimate of the number of Lepidoptera species still to be discovered. Finally, a gazetteer of sampling localities is supplied.
The following list provides a subset of known moth species, which have been recorded in Iran. A complete list of Lepidoptera of Iran is included in the External links below.
Brahmaeidae
Bombycidae
Lasiocampidae
Saturnidae
Lemoniidae
Sphingidae
Arctiidae
Lymantriidae
Noctuidae
Condicinae
- Hadjina lutosa subflava <small>Hacker and Ebert, 2002</small>
- Cryphia eucta <small>Hampson, 1908</small>
- Cryphia argentacea <small>Bytinski-Salz & Brandt, 1937</small>
- Cryphia eucharista <small>Boursin, 1960</small>
- Cryphia salomonis <small>Boursin, 1954</small>
- Cryphia klapperichi <small>Boursin, 1960</small>
- Victrix sassanica <small>Wiltshire, 1961</small>
- Victrix macrosema <small>Boursin, 1957</small>
- Dysmilichia mira <small>Brandt, 1938</small>
- Dysmilichia phaulopsis <small>Brandt, 1938</small>
- Dysmilichia erastrioides <small>Brandt, 1938</small>
- Dysmilichia gigantea <small>Brandt, 1941</small>
- Stenodrina agramma <small>Brandt, 1938</small>
- Caradrina panurgia <small>Boursin, 1939</small>
Herminiinae
Raphiinae
Rivulinae
Hypeninae
Scoliopteryginae
Catocalinae
Nolinae
Sarrothripinae
Chloephorinae
Acronictinae
Cyrphiinae
Euteliinae
Plusiinae
Acontiinae
Cuculliinae
Psaphidinae
Stiriinae
Heliothinae
- Heliothis maritima <small>Graslin, 1855</small>
- Heliothis nubigera <small>Herrich-Schäffer, 1851</small>
- Heliothis peltigera <small>([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775)</small>
- Heliothis incarnata <small>Freyer, 1838</small>
- Helicoverpa armigera <small>(Hübner, [1808])</small>
- Schinia scutosa <small>([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775)</small>
- Periphanes delphinii <small>(Linnaeus, 1758)</small>
- Periphanes treitschkei <small>(Frivaldsky, 1835)</small>
- Periphanes victorina <small>(Sodoffsky, 1849)</small>
- Pyrrhia umbra <small>(Hufnagel, 1766)</small>
- Aedophron phlebophora <small>Lederer, 1858</small>
- Aedophron venosa <small>Christoph, 1887</small>
- Aedophron rhodites <small>(Eversmann, 1851)</small>
- Aedophron sumorita <small>Ronkay, 2002</small>
- Heliocheilus confertissima <small>(Walker, 1865)</small>
- Masalia albida <small>(Hampson, 1905)</small>
- Masalia philbyi <small>(Brandt, 1941)</small>
- Masalia perstriata fuscostriata <small>(Brandt, 1941)</small>
Agaristinae
Amphipyrinae
Hadeninae
Noctuinae
Unassigned
Syntomidae
Notodontidae
Thaumetopoeidae
Geometridae
Oenochrominae
Geometrinae
Sterrhinae
Larentiinae
Ennominae
Drepanidae
Thyatiridae
Cimeliidae
Zygaenidae
Limacodidae
Pyralidae
Subfamily unknown
Galleriinae
Pyralinae
Epipaschiinae
Phycitinae
Scopariinae
Heliothelinae
Crambinae
Schoenobiinae
Cyblomiinae
Nymphulinae
Odontiinae
Evergestinae
Glaphyriinae
Pyraustinae
Pterophoridae
Carposinidae
Sesiidae
Brachodidae
Choreutidae
Tortricidae
Tortricinae
Cochylini
- Phtheochroa aureopunctana <small>(Ragonot, 1894)</small>
- Phtheochroa decipiens <small>(Walsingham, 1900)</small>
- Phtheochroa durbonana <small>(Lhomme, 1937)</small>
- Phtheochroa inopiana <small>(Haworth, [1811])</small>
- Phtheochroa jerichoana <small>(Amsel, 1935)</small>
- Phtheochroa kenneli <small>(Obraztsov, 1944)</small>
- Phtheochroa pulvillana <small>(Herrich-Schäffer, 1851)</small>
- Phtheochroa purissima <small>(Osthelder, 1938)</small>
- Phtheochroa subfumida <small>(Falkovitsh, 1963)</small>
- Phtheochroa syrtana <small>Ragonot, 1888</small>
- Phtheochroa variolosana <small>Christoph, 1887</small>
- Cochylimorpha alternana <small>(Stephens, 1834)</small>
- Cochylimorpha armeniana <small>(de Joannis, 1891)</small>
- Cochylimorpha asiana <small>(Kennel, 1899)</small>
- Cochylimorpha brandti <small>(Razowski, 1963)</small>
- Cochylimorpha diana <small>(Kennel, 1899)</small>
- Cochylimorpha discolourana <small>(Kennel, 1899)</small>
- Cochylimorpha eburneana <small>(Kennel, 1899)</small>
- Cochylimorpha elegans <small>(Razowski, 1963)</small>
- Cochylimorpha fluens <small>(Razowski, 1970)</small>
- Cochylimorpha fucosa <small>(Razowski, 1970)</small>
- Cochylimorpha halophilana adriatica <small>Huemer, 2000</small>
- Cochylimorpha kurdistana <small>(Amsel, 1959)</small>
- Cochylimorpha langeana <small>(Kalchberg, 1897)</small>
- Cochylimorpha montana <small>(Razowski, 1967)</small>
- Cochylimorpha nodulana <small>(Möschler, 1862)</small>
- Cochylimorpha nomadana <small>(Erschoff, 1874)</small>
- Cochylimorpha nuristana <small>(Razowski, 1967)</small>
- Cochylimorpha pirizanica <small>(Razowski, 1963)</small>
- Cochylimorpha scrophulana <small>Razowski, 1963</small>
- Cochylimorpha simulata <small>(Razowski, 1970)</small>
- Cochylimorpha straminea <small>(Haworth, [1811])</small>
- Cochylimorpha wiltshirei <small>(Razowski, 1963)</small>
- Phalonidia manniana <small>(Fischer von Röslerstamm, 1839)</small>
- Gynnidomorpha permixtana <small>([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775)</small>
- Agapeta hamana <small>(Linnaeus, 1758)</small>
- Ceratoxanthis iberica <small>Baixeras, 1992</small>
- Fulvoclysia forsteri <small>Osthelder, 1938</small>
- Fulvoclysia rjabovi <small>Kuznetzov, 1976</small>
- Fulvoclysia subdolana <small>(Kennel, 1901)</small>
- Eugnosta lathoniana <small>(Hübner, [1800])</small>
- Eugnosta magnificana <small>(Rebel, 1914)</small>
- Aethes argyrospila <small>Karisch, 2005</small>
- Aethes bilbaensis <small>(Rössler, 1877)</small>
- Aethes conversana <small>(Walsingham, 1908)</small>
- Aethes cremonana <small>(Ragonot, 1894)</small>
- Aethes deutschiana <small>(Zetterstedt, 1839)</small>
- Aethes eberti <small>Sutter & Karisch, 2004</small>
- Aethes eichleri <small>Razowski, 1983</small>
- Aethes fennicana <small>(Hering, 1924)</small>
- Aethes flagellana atlasi <small>Razowski, 1962</small>
- Aethes francillana <small>(Fabricius, 1794)</small>
- Aethes iranica <small>Razowski, 1963</small>
- Aethes kandovana <small>Alipanah, 2009</small>
- Aethes kasyi <small>Razowski, 1962</small>
- Aethes lateritia <small>Razowski, 1970</small>
- Aethes luteopictana <small>(Kennel, 1900)</small>
- Aethes margarotana <small>(Duponchel, 1836)</small>
- Aethes moribundana <small>(Staudinger, 1859)</small>
- Aethes pardaliana <small>(Kennel, 1899)</small>
- Aethes persica <small>Razowski, 1963</small>
- Aethes prangana <small>(Kennel, 1900)</small>
- Aethes scalana <small>(Zerny, 1927)</small>
- Aethes spirana <small>(Kennel, 1899)</small>
- Aethes tesserana <small>([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775)</small>
- Aethes williana <small>(Brahm, 1791)</small>
- Aethes xanthina <small>Falkowitsch, 1963</small>
- Cochylidia implicitana <small>(Wocke, 1856)</small>
- Cochylidia moguntiana <small>(Roessler, 1864)</small>
- Cochylidia rupicola <small>(Curtis, 1834)</small>
- Diceratura ostrinana <small>(Guenée, 1845)</small>
- Diceratura porrectana <small>Djakonov, 1929</small>
- Diceratura roseofasciana <small>(Mann, 1855)</small>
- Diceratura teheranica <small>Razowski, 1970</small>
- Cochylis amoenana <small>Kennel, 1899</small>
- Cochylis defessana <small>Mann, 1861</small>
- Cochylis maestana <small>Kennel, 1899</small>
- Cochylis piana <small>(Kennel, 1919)</small>
- Cochylis posterana hyrcana <small>(Toll, 1948)</small>
- Cochylis roseana <small>(Haworth, [1811])</small>
- Cochylis similana <small>Razowski, 1963</small>
Tortricini
- Aleimma loeflingiana <small>(Linnaeus, 1758)</small>
- Tortrix viridana <small>Linnaeus, 1758</small>
- Acleris napaea <small>(Meyrick, 1912)</small>
- Acleris variegana <small>([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775)</small>
- Acleris rhombana <small>([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775)</small>
- Acleris quercinana <small>(Zeller, 1849)</small>
- Acleris sparsana <small>([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775)</small>
- Acleris lacordairana caucasica <small>Filipjev, 1962</small>
- Acleris lorquiniana <small>(Duponchel, 1835)</small>
- Acleris forsskaleana <small>(Linnaeus, 1758)</small>
- Acleris hastiana <small>(Linnaeus, 1758)</small>
Archipini
- Archips xylosteana <small>(Linnaeus, 1758)</small>
- Archips rosana <small>(Linnaeus, 1758)</small>
- Archips podana <small>(Scopoli, 1763)</small>
- Archips philippa <small>(Meyrick, 1918)</small>
- Archips crataegana <small>(Hübner, [1799])</small>
- Choristoneura lafauryana <small>(Ragonot, 1875)</small>
- Choristoneura hebenstreitella <small>(Müller, 1764)</small>
- Argyrotaenia ljungiana <small>(Thunberg, 1799)</small>
- Ptycholoma erschoffi <small>Christoph, 1877</small>
- Pandemis chondrillana <small>(Herrich-Schäffer, 1860)</small>
- Pandemis cerasana <small>(Hübner, 1786)</small>
- Pandemis dumetana <small>(Treitschke, 1835)</small>
- Pandemis heparana <small>([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775)</small>
- Pandemis corylana <small>(Fabricius, 1794)</small>
- Aphelia christophi <small>Obraztsov, 1955</small>
- Aphelia peramplana <small>(Hübner, [1825])</small>
- Aphelia ochreana <small>(Hübner, [1796-1799])</small>
- Aphelia consica <small>Razowski, 1981</small>
- Aphelia viburnana <small>([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775)</small>
- Clepsis pallidana <small>(Fabricius, 1776)</small>
- Clepsis rurinana <small>(Linnaeus, 1758)</small>
- Clepsis consimilana <small>(Hübner, 1817)</small>
Other tribes
Olethreutinae
Cossidae
Oecophoridae
Coleophoridae
Cosmopterigidae
- Alloclita delozona
- Alloclita gambiella
- Ascalenia acaciella <small>Chretien, 1915</small>
- Ascalenia callynella <small>Kasy, 1968</small>
- Ascalenia echidnias <small>Meyrick, 1891</small>
- Ascalenia imbella <small>Kasy, 1975</small>
- Ascalenia kairaella <small>Kasy, 1970</small>
- Ascalenia sirjanella <small>Kasy, 1975</small>
- Batrachedra amydraula
- Bifascia nigralbella <small>(Chretien, 1915)</small>
- Bifascioides leucomelanellus <small>(Rebel, 1917)</small>
- Bifascioides yemenellus <small>(Amsel, 1961)</small>
- Calycobathra sahidanella <small>Kasy, 1968</small>
- Eteobalea sumptuosella
- Pseudascalenia abbasella <small>Kasy, 1975</small>
- Pyroderces argyrogrammos
- Anatrachyntis simplex
- Ascalenia heterosticta
- Ascalenia vanelloides
- Ascalenia viviparella
- Bifascioides pirastica
- Calycobathra calligoni
- Calycobathra variapenella
- Gisilia lerautella
- Pyroderces hemizopha
Scythrididae
Gelechiidae
Yponomeutidae
Ypsolophidae
Plutellidae
Glyphipterygidae
Heliodinidae
Lyonetiidae
Bucculatricidae
Psychidae
Tineidae
Gracilariidae
- Acrocercops iraniana <small>Triberti, 1990</small>
- Aspilapteryx magna <small>Triberti, 1985</small>
- Aspilapteryx tringipennella <small>(Zeller, 1839)</small>
- Caloptilia roscipennella <small>(Hübner, 1796)</small>
- Calybites phasianipennella <small>(Hübner, [1813])</small>
- Cupedia cupediella <small>(Herrich-Schäffer, 1855)</small>
- Parornix persicella <small>Danilevsky, 1955</small>
- Phyllocnistis citrella <small>Stainton, 1856</small>
- Phyllonorycter blancardella <small>(Fabricius, 1781)</small>
- Phyllonorycter corylifoliella <small>(Hübner, 1796)</small>
- Phyllonorycter iranica <small>Deschka, 1979</small>
- Phyllonorycter platani <small>(Staudinger, 1870)</small>
- Phyllonorycter turanica <small>(Gerasimov, 1931)</small>
- Polymitia eximipalpella <small>(Gerasimov, 1930)</small>
- Polymitia laristana <small>Triberti, 1986</small>
Tischeriidae
Heliozelidae
Adelidae
Nepticulidae
Hepialidae
Alucitidae
Autostichidae
Batrachedridae
Crambidae
See also
References
External links