Moths, 19th century illustration. Phalaena is an obsolete genus of Lepidoptera used by Carl Linnaeus to house most moths. Phalaena was one of three genera used by Linnaeus to cover all Lepidoptera. Papilio included all butterflies at that time, Sphinx included all hawk moths, and Phalaena included all the remaining moths. The type species was Phalaena typica (now Naenia typica in the family Noctuidae). Copperplate engraving from the Encyclopaedia Londinensis, or Universal Dictionary of Arts, Sciences, and Literature; Volume XX; Edited by Wilkes, John. Published in 1825.