https://www.thoughtco.com/insect-pupal-forms-1968485
http://www.entomologa.ru/figures/78.htm
After reading these articles I was wondering what would be some primitive Lepidopterans that have Exarate pupae. I am familiar with most Noctuids and Erebids having adaptations to chew through the pupae but they do not have movable appendages (if we go by the definition of Exarate from the link). Is the article referring to the Noctuoidea superfamily as Primitive Lepidopterans ?
I also feel that the information on the Link might be slightly misleading, so please share better references if possible. They have listed only Butterflies under Lepidoptera, poor Moths get no attention yet again.
I suppose the article is referring to Micropterigidae (see Dettner & Peters, 2003). Those are somewhat archaic (mandibules in the adults, no proboscis) and have functional mandibules in the pupa stage (decticous). These families include excarate or decticous pupae (Westheide & Rieger, 2006): Micropterigidae, Eriocraniidae, Acanthopteroctetidae, and others.
Further literature:
Chapter Pupa and Puparium
Article A New Classification of Insect Pupae
ISBN: 9780521113892
Thank you very much, Thies Büscher !!
That's very useful information. :)
Indeet, at least regarding their wings. But they are Glossata and possess a proboscis. Micropterigidae splitted much earlier from the remaining Lepidoptera and did not evolve a proboscis. In this aspect Micropterigidae resemble Trichoptera even more.
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