The Crambidae are the grass moth family of

lepidoptera Lepidoptera ( ) is an order (biology), order of insects that includes butterfly, butterflies and moths (both are called lepidopterans). About 180,000 species of the Lepidoptera are described, in 126 Family (biology), families and 46 Taxonomic r ...

ns. They are variable in appearance, the nominal subfamily Crambinae (grass moths) taking up closely folded postures on grass stems where they are inconspicuous, while other subfamilies include brightly coloured and patterned insects which rest in wing-spread attitudes. In many classifications, the Crambidae have been treated as a

subfamily In biological classification, a subfamily (Latin: ', plural ') is an auxiliary (intermediate) taxonomic rank, next below family but more inclusive than genus. Standard nomenclature rules end subfamily botanical names with "-oideae", and zoologi ...

of the

Pyralidae The Pyralidae, commonly called pyralid moths, snout moths or grass moths, are a family of Lepidoptera in the ditrysian superfamily Pyraloidea. In many (particularly older) classifications, the grass moths (Crambidae) are included in the Pyrali ...

or snout-moths. The principal difference is a structure in the

tympanal organ A tympanal organ (or tympanic organ) is a hearing organ in insects, consisting of a membrane ( tympanum) stretched across a frame backed by an air sac and associated sensory neurons. Sounds vibrate the membrane, and the vibrations are sensed by ...

s called the praecinctorium, which joins two tympanic membranes in the Crambidae, and is absent from the Pyralidae. The latest review by Munroe and Solis, in Kristensen (1999), retains the Crambidae as a full family. The family currently comprises 15 subfamilies with altogether 10,347 species in over 1,000 genera.

Systematics

*subfamilia incertae sedis **''Conotalis'' Hampson, 1919 **''Exsilirarcha'' Salmon & Bradley, 1956 *Subfamily Acentropinae Stephens, 1836 *Subfamily

Crambinae Crambinae is a large subfamily of the lepidopteran family Crambidae, the crambid snout moths. It currently includes over 1,800 species worldwide. The larvae are root feeders or stem borers, mostly on grasses. A few species are pests of sod grass ...

Latreille, 1810 *Subfamily

Erupinae Erupinae is a subfamily of the lepidopteran family Crambidae. It was described by Eugene G. Munroe in 1995. Originally, Erupinae were described as a tribe in the subfamily Crambinae. Later, they were moved to Midilinae. A phylogenetic analys ...

Munroe, 1995 *Subfamily

Glaphyriinae Glaphyriinae is a subfamily of the lepidopteran family Crambidae. It was described by William Trowbridge Merrifield Forbes in 1923. The subfamily currently comprises 509 species in 75 genera. The larvae of Glaphyriinae predominantly feed on pl ...

Forbes, 1923 (= Evergestinae Marion, 1952, Noordinae Minet, 1980,Regier, J. C., C. Mitter, M. A. Solis, J. E. Hayden, B. Landry, M. Nuss, T. J. Simonsen, S.-H. Yen , A. Zwick & M. P. Cummings 2012
A molecular phylogeny for the pyraloid moths (Lepidoptera: Pyraloidea) and its implications for higher-level classification.
– Systematic Entomology, London 37 (4): 635–656. Cybalomiinae Marion, 1955, Cathariinae Minet, 1982) *Subfamily

Heliothelinae Heliothelinae is a subfamily of the lepidopteran family Crambidae. It was described by Hans Georg Amsel Hans Georg Amsel (29 March 1905 – 20 October 1999) was a German entomologist with four publications ranging from 1951 to 1962. His home tow ...

Amsel, 1961 *Subfamily

Hoploscopinae Hoploscopinae is a subfamily of the lepidopteran family Crambidae. It was described by Robinson et al., 1994. In the past, the group had been considered a subfamily of Heliothelinae based on a sclerotized thorn that is invaginated into the corpu ...

Robinson et al., 1994 *Subfamily

Lathrotelinae Lathrotelinae is a subfamily of the pyraloid family Crambidae described by John Frederick Gates Clarke in 1971. It currently comprises 45 species in six genera. Description Characteristic features of the Lathrotelinae are the undulating wing ou ...

Clarke, 1971 *Subfamily

Linostinae ''Linosta'' is a genus of moths of the family Crambidae The Crambidae are the grass moth family of lepidopterans. They are variable in appearance, the nominal subfamily Crambinae (grass moths) taking up closely folded postures on grass stems wh ...

Amsel, 1956 *Subfamily Midilinae Munroe, 1958 *Subfamily

Musotiminae Musotiminae is a subfamily of the lepidopteran family Crambidae. It was described by Edward Meyrick in 1884 Genera *'' Aeolopetra'' *'' Albusambia'' *'' Ambia'' (= ''Metathyrida'' , ''Metathyridia'' ) *'' Austromusotima'' *'' Baeoptila'' *'' ...

Meyrick, 1884 *Subfamily Odontiinae Guenée, 1854 *Subfamily

Pyraustinae Pyraustinae is a large subfamily of the lepidopteran family Crambidae, the crambid snout moths. It currently includes over 1,400 species; most of them tropical but some found in temperate regions including both North America and Europe. The Py ...

Meyrick, 1890 *Subfamily

Schoenobiinae Schoenobiinae is a subfamily of the lepidopteran family Crambidae. The subfamily was described by Philogène Auguste Joseph Duponchel Philogène Auguste Joseph Duponchel (1774 – 10 January 1846) was a French soldier and entomologist. Life and ...

Duponchel, 1846 *Subfamily

Scopariinae Scopariinae is a subfamily of the lepidopteran family Crambidae. The subfamily was described by Achille Guenée Achille Guenée (sometimes M.A. Guenée; 1 January 1809 – 30 December 1880) was a French lawyer and entomologist. Biography Ac ...

Guenée, 1854 *Subfamily

Spilomelinae Spilomelinae is a very species-rich subfamily of the lepidopteran family Crambidae, the crambid snout moths. With 4,135 described species in 344 genera worldwide, it is the most speciose group among pyraloidea, pyraloids. Description Imagines ...

Guenée, 1854 (= Wurthiinae Roepke, 1916)

Relationship with humans

Since crambids are relatively common throughout human settlements, the moths tend to affect crops and gardens, whether harmfully, beneficially or harmlessly. Beneficial crambids include the water hyacinth moth (''

Niphograpta albiguttalis ''Niphograpta'' is a genus of moths of the family Crambidae. It contains only one species, the water hyacinth moth (''Niphograpta albiguttalis''). It is native to the Amazon basin, but has been introduced in North America (where it is found from ...

''), used to control its host (''

Eichhornia crassipes ''Pontederia crassipes'' (formerly ''Eichhornia crassipes''), commonly known as common water hyacinth is an aquatic plant native to South America, naturalized throughout the world, and often invasive species, invasive outside its native range ...

''), the water veneer ('' Acentria ephemerella''), a biocontrol agent used against

Eurasian watermilfoil ''Myriophyllum spicatum'' (Eurasian watermilfoil or spiked water-milfoil) is native to Europe, Asia, and north Africa, but has a wide geographic and climatic distribution among some 57 countries, extending from northern Canada to South Africa. It ...

, and the bamboo borer (''

Omphisa fuscidentalis ''Omphisa'' is a genus of moths of the family Crambidae described by Frederic Moore in 1886. Species *''Omphisa anastomosalis'' (Guenée, 1854) *''Omphisa caustalis'' Hampson, 1913 *'' Omphisa fuscidentalis'' (Hampson, 1896) *''Omphisa illisalis' ...

''), of which the caterpillars are used for human consumption. The mint moth (''

Pyrausta aurata The mint moth (''Pyrausta aurata'') is a small moth from the family Crambidae, also known by the common name ''Small Purple and Gold''. Distribution This species can be found in most of Europe and it is also widespread in North Africa and North ...

'') is an example of a harmless crambid. Crambid larvae are typically stem borers in plants of the

grass family Poaceae () or Gramineae () is a large and nearly ubiquitous family of monocotyledonous flowering plants commonly known as grasses. It includes the cereal grasses, bamboos and the grasses of natural grassland and species cultivated in lawns and ...

. As this family contains many important crops, some Crambidae species achieve pest status. The

European corn borer The European corn borer (''Ostrinia nubilalis''), also known as the European corn worm or European high-flyer, is a moth of the family Crambidae which includes other grass moths. It is a pest of grain, particularly maize (''Zea mays''). The in ...

''Ostrinia nubilalis'' is perhaps the best known; introduced to the United States in the early 1900s, it is now widespread in all but the westernmost states. Other pest species include the pearl millet stem borer (''

Coniesta ignefusalis ''Coniesta ignefusalis'', the pearl millet stem-borer, is a moth in the family Crambidae. It was described by George Hampson in 1919. Distribution ''Coniesta ignefusalis'' is found throughout the West African Sahel, including in Senegal, Mali, ...

''), the spotted stalk borer (''

Chilo partellus ''Chilo partellus'', the spotted stalk borer or spotted stem borer, is a moth in the family Crambidae. It was described by Charles Swinhoe in 1885. It is found in India, Pakistan, Iran, Ethiopia, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, South Africa, Sudan, ...

''), the Asiatic rice borer ('' Chilo suppressalis''), sod webworms ('' Crambus'' spp.), ''

Duponchelia fovealis ''Duponchelia fovealis'' is a species of moth of the family Crambidae described by Philipp Christoph Zeller in 1847. It is endemic to the area surrounding the Mediterranean Sea, and the Canary Islands, but has extended its range to other parts of ...

'', the sugarcane borer ('' Diatraea saccharalis''), bean pod borers (''

Maruca ''Maruca'' is a genus of moths of the family Crambidae, commonly known as bean pod borers. Species *'' Maruca amboinalis'' (C. Felder, R. Felder & Rogenhofer, 1875) *'' Maruca fuscalis'' Yamanaka, 1998 *'' Maruca nigroapicalis'' de Joannis, 19 ...

'' spp.), the rice white stemborer (''

Scirpophaga innotata ''Scirpophaga innotata'', the rice white stemborer, is a species of moth of the family Crambidae. The species was described by Francis Walker in 1863. It is found in Indonesia, Pakistan, the Philippines and the tropical north of Australia. Th ...

''), the southwestern corn borer (''

Diatraea grandiosella The southwestern corn borer, ''Diatraea grandiosella'', is a moth belonging to the sub-order Heterocera. Like most moths, The southwestern corn borer undergoes complete metamorphosis developing as an egg, larva (caterpillar), pupa and adult. It ...

''), and the grape leaffolder ('' Desmia maculalis'').

Gallery

Image:Maruca vitrata.jpg, ''

Maruca vitrata ''Maruca vitrata'' is a pantropical insect pest of leguminous crops like pigeon pea, cowpea, mung bean and soybean. Its common names include the maruca pod borer, bean pod borer, soybean pod borer, mung moth, and the legume pod borer. The spec ...

'' File:Moth from Spilomelinae under Crambidae W IMG_2758.jpg,

species File:Agriphila straminella on Achillea.ogv, ''

Agriphila straminella ''Agriphila straminella'' is a species of moth of the family Crambidae. It was described by Michael Denis and Ignaz Schiffermüller in 1775 and is found in Europe and east across the Palearctic. The wingspan is 16–20 mm. The forewings a ...

'' on Achillea File:Aethaloessa calidalis by Kadavoor.jpg, ''

Aethaloessa calidalis ''Aethaloessa calidalis'' is a moth of the family Crambidae described by Achille Guenée in 1854. It is found throughout the Seychelles, South and South-East Asia, Australia and on many Pacific islands. This moth figured on an 8-cent stamp of Tuv ...

'' File:Bocchoris inspersalis on Desmodium triflorum at Kadavoor.jpg, ''

Bocchoris inspersalis ''Bocchoris inspersalis'', the dotted sable, is a moth of the family Crambidae. It can be found in subtropical Africa South of the Sahara, many islands of the Indian Ocean, South and East Asia, from India to Japan. File:Bocchoris inspersalis on ...

'' on ''

Desmodium triflorum ''Grona triflora'', known as creeping tick trefoil or three-flower beggarweed, is a plant in the family Fabaceae. It is native to tropical regions around the globe and introduced to subtropical regions including the southern United States. Fil ...

'' File:Orange Mint Moth 9297.8.24.07.w.wiki.jpg, '' Pyrausta orphisalis'' File:Celery Leaftier.jpg, ''

Udea rubigalis ''Udea rubigalis'', the celery leaftier or greenhouse leaftier, is a member of the family Crambidae. It is found across the Americas. The species was first described by Achille Guenée in 1854. The larvae are polyphagous and feed on a wide varie ...

'' File:Herpetogramma adult.jpg, ''Herpetogramma'' sp.

References

External links

"Family Crambidae"
''Insecta.pro''

on the UF / IFAS Featured Creatures Web site
''Diatraea saccharalis'', sugarcane borer
Cirrus Digital * {{Taxonbar , from=Q132980 Moth families Articles containing video clips Taxa named by Pierre André Latreille

Systematics

Relationship with humans

Gallery

See also

References

Further reading

External links