Family THYRIDIDAE

Thyrididae

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Family THYRIDIDAE

Thyridae.

Introduction

[After Shaffer & Nielsen 1996: 161-163]
Most of the earliest species of Thyrididae recorded in Australia were described from elsewhere. Walker made the early descriptions of Australian species from 1859-1866, and later in the century further species were described, but only a few from Australia. This century the list was greatly increased, again mainly from the faunal areas. The most recent native species was described by Whalley (1976). A total of 55 described species are recognised in the Australian fauna, in two subfamilies and 18 genera. There are several more species awaiting description in the ANIC.

The family was created by Herrich-Schäffer in 1846 for the genus Thryris Laspeyres, 1803. Guenée (1877) first proposed three subfamilies (confusingly giving them family suffixes) as Siculidae, Pachythyridae and Striglinidae. They were accepted by Pagenstecher (1892), but were ignored by most subsequent authors. They were used by Whalley (1964a) with the added subfamily Argyrotypinae based on the Madagascan fauna. Thiele (1986; 1990) adopted the family name spelling of Thyridae instead of Thyrididae. However, this has not been accepted elsewhere or in this present work.

Pachythyrinae, based on the genus Pachythris Felder & Rogenhofer, 1874, which is a synonym of Dysodia Clemens, 1860, was generally used and included the nominate genus of the family, Thyris Laspeyres, 1803. Minet (1991) corrected the nominate subfamily to Thyridinae following the usage by M. Shaffer in his revised curation of the Thyrididae in the collection of the BMNH. Minet (1991) also synonymised the Argyrotypinae with the Siculodinaae, but they should probably be recognised as a distinct tribe along with Siculodini and Rhodoneurini. Whally throughout his publications used the name Siculinae, as it had been derived from Guenée's spelling of Siculidae. It has, however, been argued recently that the spelling should follow the spelling of the nominate genus Siculodes Guenée, 1858 and therefore be changed to Siculodinae; this has been accepted here.

The following foodplants are recorded for Australian species: Aglaopus pyrrhata (Walker) on leaves of Eucalyptus pauciflora, E. tereticornis; Addaea subtessellata Walker on leaves of Mallotus philippensis and A. polyphoralis (Walker) on leaves of Diospyros ferrea.

Thyrididae are world wide in distribution but predominantly tropical. About 1200 described species are recognised, with several hundred still undescribed in collections. Irrespective of subfamily they are mostly easily recognised by wing markings which form a fine network in addition to the major markings. All have a scaleless proboscis and lack tympanal organs. Most have Sc+R of the hindwing arising from the base of the wing, an exception being the genus Addaea which has a venation similar to the Pyralidae.