The following are theregional Lepidoptera lists by continent.Lepidoptera is the insect order consisting of both thebutterflies andmoths.
Lepidoptera are among the most successful groups of insects. They are found on all continents, exceptAntarctica. Lepidoptera inhabit all terrestrial habitats ranging from desert to rainforest, from lowland grasslands to montane plateaus but almost always associated with higher plants, especially angiosperms (flowering plants).[1] Among the most northern dwelling species of butterflies and moths is the Arctic Apollo (Parnassius arcticus), which is found in the Arctic Circle in northeasternYakutia, at an altitude of 1500 meters above sea level.[2] In theHimalayas, various Apollo species such asParnassius epaphus, have been recorded to occur up to an altitude of 6,000 meters above sea level.[3]: 221
Some lepidopteran species exhibitsymbiotic,phoretic, orparasitic life-styles, inhabiting the bodies of organisms rather than the environment.Coprophagouspyralid moth species, calledsloth moths, such asBradipodicola hahneli andCryptoses choloepi, are unusual in that they are exclusively found inhabiting the fur ofsloths, mammals found inCentral andSouth America.[4][5]Two species ofTinea moths have been recorded as feeding on horny tissue and have been bred from the horns of cattle. The larva ofZenodochium coccivorella is an internal parasite of thecoccidKermes species. Many species have been recorded as breeding in natural materials or refuse such as owl pellets, bat caves, honey-combs or diseased fruit.[5]
Of the approximately 174,250 lepidopteran species described until 2007, butterflies and skippers are estimated to comprise approximately 17,950, with moths making up the rest.[6][7] The vast majority of Lepidoptera are to be found in the tropics, but substantial diversity exists on most continents. North America has over 700 species of butterflies and over 11,000 species of moths,[8][9] while there are about 400 species of butterflies and 14,000 species of moths reported from Australia.[10] The diversity of Lepidoptera in eachfaunal region has been estimated by John Heppner in 1991 based partly on actual counts from the literature, partly on the card indices in theNatural History Museum (London) and theNational Museum of Natural History (Washington), and partly on estimates:[11]: 726
| Palearctic | Nearctic | Neotropic | Afrotropic | Indo-Australian (comprisingIndomalayan andAustralasian realms) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Estimated number of species | 22,465 | 11,532 | 44,791 | 20,491 | 47,286 |
Armenia,
Azerbaijan,
Cyprus,
Georgia, and
Turkey, classified as Asian countries by the United Nations Statistics Division, are also often considered as European countries, since their territories are either partly in Europe or in the vicinity of Europe(for the geographical boundaries between Asia and Europe, seehere), and they have close political and historical ties with Europe (e.g., they are members of theCouncil of Europe).
Abkhazia,
Nagorno-Karabakh,
Northern Cyprus, and
South Ossetia, all sovereign states lacking general international recognition, are also often considered as European countries.
Akrotiri and Dhekelia is also often considered as a European territory.No Lepidoptera species are known from the continent of Antarctica. However, there are records from nearby islands.
| Flag | Country or territory | Moths | Butterflies |
|---|---|---|---|
 | French Southern and Antarctic Lands (Overseas territory of France) | Moths | Butterflies |
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