Heteroneura

Heteroneura is a natural group (or clade) in the insect order Lepidoptera that comprises over 99% of all butterflies and moths. This is the sister group of the infraorder Exoporia (swift moths and their relatives), and is characterised by wing venation which is not similar or homoneurous in both pairs of wings. Though basal groups within the Heteroneura cannot be identified with much confidence, one major subgroup is the leaf-mining Nepticuloidea. Species in this subgroup include some of the smallest lepidopterans identified.

Eulepidoptera represents a major clade within the infraorder Heteroneura, encompassing the vast majority of moth and butterfly species. It includes both primitive lineages such as Incurvariina and Etimonotrysia, as well as the highly diverse Ditrysia, which alone accounts for approximately 98% of all described Lepidoptera species. Members of Eulepidoptera are characterized by advanced wing coupling mechanisms, specialized larval stages, and a broad range of ecological roles, including pollination and agricultural pest activity. The evolutionary success of this clade is often attributed to its