Subfamily MIDILINAE

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Introduction

[Modified after Shaffer et al. (1996: 166)]
Midilinae are represented in Australia by 3 genera, and 8 species . The species occur widely across northern Australia and an undescribed species of Styphlolepis is known from Timor. The largest Australian pyralid, Styphlolepis squamosalis Hampson, 1896, was the first midiline to be described. Due to the absence of the proboscis both genera were originally described in the Schoenobiinae but their notodontid-like appearance has long suggested that they belong elsewhere. Based on Styphlolepis, Munroe (pers. comm.) considered placing them in their own subfamily. Common (1990) included in the group Cybalomiinae. Current studies by Koen Maes (pers. comm.) on the structure of the tympanal organ strongly suggest that their true affinity is with the Midilinae, a group previously thought to be restricted to the Neotropics. The biologists of two species of Styphlolepis were described by Illidge (1923) and Froggatt (1923); both have larvae which bore in the trunk of Capparis. Both midiline genera are rare in collections.

General References

Common, I.F.B. 1990. Moths of Australia. Carlton : Melbourne University Press vi+535 pp., 32 pls.

Froggatt, W.W. 1923. Forest Insects of Australia. Sydney : Alfred James Kent, Government Printer viii 171 pp. 2 colour pls.

Illidge, R. 1923. Notes on a new species of moth. Fam. Schoenobiadae. Queensland Naturalist 4: 55-56

Munroe, E. 1958. Hampson's Schoenobiinae (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae). International Congress of Entomology 10(1): 301-302

Shaffer, M., Nielsen, E.S. & Horak, M. 1996. Pyraloidea. pp. 164-199 in Nielsen, E.S., Edwards, E.D. & Rangsi, T.V. (eds). Checklist of the Lepidoptera of Australia. Monographs on Australian Lepidoptera. Collingwood : CSIRO Publishing Vol. 4 xiv 529 pp. & CD-ROM.

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