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 ...
Terastia meticulosalis
''Terastia meticulosalis'', the erythrina twigborer or erythrina borer, is a moth of the family Crambidae. It has a wide distribution. In North America, it has been recorded from south-eastern Arizona, southern Texas, Louisiana and Florida. It ...
'' as type species. The genus is currently placed in the tribeMargaroniini, where it is closely related to the genera '' Agathodes'' and '' Liopasia''.
''Terastia'' with its eight species is distributed in the tropical regions of the Neotropical,
Afrotropical
The Afrotropical realm is one of Earth's eight biogeographic realms. It includes Africa south of the Sahara Desert, the majority of the Arabian Peninsula, the island of Madagascar, southern Iran and extreme southwestern Pakistan, and the island ...
and
Oriental realm
The Indomalayan realm is one of the eight biogeographic realms. It extends across most of South and Southeast Asia and into the southern parts of East Asia.
Also called the Oriental realm by biogeographers, Indomalaya spreads all over the Ind ...
as well as Australasia.
Like the closely related genera ''Agathodes'' and ''Liopasia'', the
caterpillar
Caterpillars ( ) are the larval stage of members of the order Lepidoptera (the insect order comprising butterflies and moths).
As with most common names, the application of the word is arbitrary, since the larvae of sawflies (suborder Sym ...
s of ''Terastia'' species feed on ''
Erythrina
''Erythrina'' is a genus of plants in the pea family, Fabaceae. It contains about 130 species, which are distributed in tropical and subtropical regions worldwide. They are trees, with the larger species growing up to in height. The generic na ...
Terastia meticulosalis
''Terastia meticulosalis'', the erythrina twigborer or erythrina borer, is a moth of the family Crambidae. It has a wide distribution. In North America, it has been recorded from south-eastern Arizona, southern Texas, Louisiana and Florida. It ...