Peppered moth
The peppered moth (Biston betularia) is a species of insect of the family Geometridae, and found throughout much of Europe, Asia, and North America. The moth as found in Great Britain has been subject to repeated experiments and claims of hoaxes regarding the theory of evolution.
| Peppered moth | |
|---|---|
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| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom Information | |
| Domain | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom | Animalia |
| Subkingdom | Bilateria |
| Branch | Protostomia |
| Phylum Information | |
| Superphylum | Panarthropoda |
| Phylum | Arthropoda |
| Sub-phylum | Mandibulata |
| Infraphylum | Atelocerata |
| Class Information | |
| Superclass | Panhexapoda |
| Class | Insecta |
| Sub-class | Dicondylia |
| Infra-class | Pterygota |
| Order Information | |
| Superorder | Amphiesmenoptera |
| Order | Lepidoptera |
| Infraorder | Heteroneura |
| Family Information | |
| Superfamily | Geometroidea |
| Family | Geometridae |
| Sub-family | Ennominae |
| Genus Information | |
| Genus | Biston |
| Species Information | |
| Species | B. betularia |
| Subspecies | B. p. betularia B. p. cognataria B. p. contrasta B. p. fumosaria B. p. nepalensis B. p. parva B. p. vlachi |
| Population statistics | |
Description
The peppered moth is a stout-bodied insect, about one inch in length, with a wingspan of about two inches. Like other moths (and unlike butterflies), the wings are held horizontally when at rest.
The normal coloration is a whitish or light-grey main background color speckled with black, hence the name. This coloration is referred to in scientific papers as typica. A melanistic black form is occasionally found, and is referred to as carbonaria, in part after the soot deposited by factories during the early part of the Industrial Revolution.
Subspecies
- Biston betularia betularia
- Biston betularia cognataria
- Biston betularia contrasta
- Biston betularia fumosaria
- Biston betularia nepalensis
- Biston betularia parva
- Biston betularia vlachi