Subfamily PYRAUSTINAE

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• Botynae.
• Ennychiinae.
• Steniinae.
• Spilomelinae.
• Margarodinae.
• Margaroniinae.
• Hapaliinae.
• Agroterinae.
• Hymeniinae.
• Dichocrociinae.
• Syleptinae.
• Siginae.
• Euclastinae.

Introduction

[Modified after Shaffer et al. 1996: 169]
The Pyraustinae were considered by Shaffer et al. to be "the largest subfamily, represented in Australia by about 390 described species, though there are large numbers of undescribed species known." With rearrangements we are now (2012) recognising only 41 described species in Pyraustinae for Australia.

The subfamily was first distinguished by Meyrick (1890d) and though the name Pyraustinae is antedated by a number of others it has been in general use since 1890. In recent years the group has been split into Pyraustinae and Spilomiinae (Minet [1982], Maes 1987), as noted by Scoble (1992). However, Munroe (1976a,b), Common (1990) and Munroe in the forthcoming Neotropical Checklist treats Pyraustini and Spilomiini as tribes and this is followed here. The estimated world population is between 7000-8000 species.

A wide range of foodplants are recorded for this group, and some are noted as pest species. Common (1990) gives an extensive list of foodplants for Australia.

The group shows enormous diversity in appearance. Pyraustinae are generally recognised by their triangular forwing, usually bright markings with a tendency for the general forewing markings to be repeated on the hindwing, or with the hindwing pale and unicolourous but strongly contrasting, or even diaphanous.

General References

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

Maes, K. 1987. Een vergelijkende, morfologisch-systematische studie van de Pyralidae (Lepidoptera) met bijssondere aandacht voor de Pyrastinae. Gent : Ph.D. Thesis, Rijksuniversiteit.

Meyrick, E. 1890. On the classification of the Pyralidina of the European fauna. Transactions of the Entomological Society of London 1890: 429-492, pl. 15

Minet, J. 1982. Les Pyraloidea et leurs principales divisions systématiques (Lep. Ditrysia). Bulletin de la Société Entomologique de France 86: 262-280 [year of publication 1981]

Munroe, E. 1976. Pyraloidea: Pyralidae comprising the subfamily Pyraustinae tribe Pyraustini (conclusion). 81-150 +xvii pp., 1-9, j-u pls in Dominick, R.B. et al. (eds). The Moths of America North of Mexico. London : E.W. Classey Limited and R.B.D. Publications Inc. Vol. 13.2b.

Munroe, E. 1976. Pyraloidea Pyralidae comprising the subfamily Pyraustinae tribe Pyraustini (part). In, Dominick, R.B. et al. (eds). The Moths of America North of Mexico. London : E.W. Classey Limited and R.B.D. Publications Inc. Vol. 13.2a. 78 pp., 1-4, a-h pls.

Scoble, M.J. 1992. The Lepidoptera. Form, Function and Diversity. Oxford : Natural History Museum Publications & Oxford University Press xi + 404 pp.

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.

History of changes