Pyralidae

Snout moths
Meal moth, Pyralis farinalis (image by entomart.be)
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
(unranked): Obtectomera
Superfamily: Pyraloidea
Family: Pyralidae
Latreille, 1802
Type species
Pyralis farinalis
Linnaeus, 1758
Subfamilies

Chrysauginae
Epipaschiinae
Galleriinae
Phycitinae
Pyralinae

Diversity
c. 6,150 species

The Pyralidae or snout moths are a family of Lepidoptera in the ditrysian superfamily Pyraloidea. In many (particularly older) classifications, the grass moths (Crambidae) are included in the Pyralidae as a subfamily, making the combined group one of the largest families in the Lepidoptera. The latest review by Munroe & Solis, in Kristensen (1999) retains the Crambidae as a full family of pyraloidea.

Relationship with humans

Most of these small moths are inconspicuous and of no particular significance to humans. Some are more notable, however. Perhaps the most familiar are waxworms, which are the caterpillar larvae of the greater (Galleria mellonella) and lesser (Achroia grisella) wax moths (subfamily Galleriinae). They are natively pests of beehives, but are bred indoors in enormous numbers as live food for small reptile and bird pets and similar animals. They are also used as fishing bait for trout fishing.

Other notable snout moths are primarily relevant due to their larval food choices. Examples include:

The European corn borer (Ostrinia nubilalis) and southern cornstalk borer (Diatraea crambidoides), formerly considered snout moths, are placed in the Crambidae which, as noted above, are usually regarded as a separate family today.

Systematics

SEM microphoto of the head of a snout moth note the "snout" (labial palps) extending to the upper left above the proboscis

Five subfamilies are generally recognized in the Pyralidae today. The Acentropinae (= Nymphulinae), occasionally still placed here, do indeed seem to belong in the Crambidae.

The snout moth subfamilies are, listed in the presumed phylogenetic sequence from the most primitive to the most advanced:

Genera incertae sedis

In addition to those assigned to the tribes above, there are several genera of (presumed) Pyralidae which are not firmly placed in this arrangement. Some may be very basal lineages which stand outside the main snout moth radiations. But given the changing circumscription of the Pyralidae, some are likely to be placed outside this group in its modern meaning, either in the Crambidae or in other lineages of basal Obtectomera. Some may even belong to more ancient moth lineages, such as the Alucitoidea or Pterophoroidea. Finally, it is possible that some of these (usually little-studied) genera are junior synonyms of genera described earlier. The genera in question are:

  • Apocabimoides Neunzig & Goodson, 1992
  • Ardjuna Roesler & Küppers, 1979
  • Cabimoides Neunzig & Goodson, 1992
  • Cryptophycita Roesler & Küppers, 1979
  • Cryptozophera Roesler & Küppers, 1979
  • Delcina Clarke, 1986 (Phycitinae?)
  • Eupassadena Neunzig & Goodson, 1992
  • Gomezmenoria Agenjo, 1966
  • Gunungodes Roesler & Küppers, 1981

  • Indocabnia Roesler & Küppers, 1981
  • Inverina Neunzig & Goodson, 1992
  • Kasyapa Roesler & Küppers, 1981
  • Kaurava Roesler & Küppers, 1981
  • Kumbhakarna Roesler & Küppers, 1981
  • Merangiria Roesler & Küppers, 1979
  • Ohigginsia Neunzig & Goodson, 1992
  • Pseudopassadena Neunzig & Goodson, 1992
  • Psorozophera Roesler & Küppers, 1979

The following genera have been placed in the Pyralidae when these were still circumscribed sensu lato and are sometimes still treated thus, but actually they seem to belong in the Crambidae (see also Micronix and Tanaobela):

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Pyralidae.

Data related to Pyralidae at Wikispecies