CRAMBIDAE of Australia
(Webworms and Shoot Borers)
PYRALOIDEA

 
Don Herbison-Evans
(donherbisonevans@yahoo.com)
and
Stella Crossley

CRAMBIDAE

eggs
 
CRAMBIDAE

caterpillars
 
CRAMBIDAE

pupa
 
CRAMBIDAE

moths
 
CRAMBIDAE

undersides

The 743 named and described species in CRAMBIDAE in Australia are here divided up and listed in their 14 subfamilies :-

ACENTROPINAE
47 species

CRAMBINAE
125 species

CYBALOMIINAE
12 species

EVERGESTINAE
3 species

GLAPHYRIINAE
2 species

MIDILINAE
7 species

MUSOTIMINAE
13 species

NOORDINAE
1 species

ODONTIINAE
26 species

PYRAUSTINAE
44 species

SCHOENOBIINAE
21 species

SCOPARIINAE
91 species

SPILOMELINAE
348 species

WURTHIINAE
1 species

The CRAMBIDAE were originally included in the family PYRALIDAE, and were first separated out as a distinct group by Munroe in 1972 based on the presence or absence of an organ called the praecinctorium, which when present is a bilobed flimsy structure lying on the mid-line between medially fused tympanic bullae. When absent, the tympanic bullae are quite clearly separated. The former are the Crambiformes, the latter the Pyraliformes. Later, the separate groups were elevated to family status, particularly by Hennig.

The Caterpillars of CRAMBIDAE are very varied in their habits. They are basically a group of concealed feeders, but they also include parasites and aquatic forms.

A key to the caterpillars of pest species in this family has been published.


Aquatic caterpillars, probably from the subfamily ACENTROPINAE
(Photos: from The Waterbug Book, courtesy of Edward Tsyrlin and John Gooderham, Butterfly Adventures, Melbourne)

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(updated 31 May 2014, 11 March 2023)