Abstract
The internal female genitalia of fifteen species of Zygaenidae (representing seven genera of Zygaeninae), one species of Heterogynidae and one species of Limacodidae have been studied in order to delimit the distribution of Petersen's glands within the Zygaenidae. The study demonstrates a considerable amount of structural variation. Petersen's glands are found to represent an autapomorphic character of the Zygaeninae, while the pseudobursa is restricted to the Zygaenini. Most likely it is an autapomorphic character of this tribe. Some other characters that were studied are discussed with special reference to their usefulness for a reconstruction of the phylogeny of the Zygaenidae.