The Pyralini are a tribe of snout moths described by Pierre André Latreille in 1809. They belong to the subfamily Pyralinae, which contains the "typical" snout moths of the Old World and some other regions. The genus list presented here is provisional.
They are deemed to represent the lineage around the type species, the meal moth (Pyralis farinalis), a somewhat notorious pest of stored cereals and similar goods. Like this species, Pyralini are usually largish snout moths; some are boldly colored (often in bright brown to yellow hues) by standards of their family.
Systematics and taxonomy While the Pyralini are a successful radiation even as presently circumscribed, this delimitation is highly provisional. It is very likely that more genera belong here (unknown Pyralinae are still being discovered on a regular basis), and perhaps the group will turn out to be so large or phylogenetically inconsistent that it will be split apart. Pending a detailed analysis, the following genera are placed here (some notable species are also listed):Solis (2007), Wikispecies (2011-MAY-29), but see references in Savela (2011)
Actenia Guenée in Boisduval & Guenée, 1854 Actenia brunnealis Aglossa Amphiderita Turner, 1925 Arescoptera Turner, 1911 Arippara Walker, Arispe Ragonot, 1891 Bostra Walker, 1863 Cardamyla Walker, 1859 Catocrocis Ragonot, 1891 Curena Walker, Dolichomia Ragonot, 1891 (mostly placed in Hypsopygia) Essina Ragonot, 1891 Fujimacia Marumo, 1939 Gauna Walker, Gauna aegusalis Herculia (mostly placed in Hypsopygia) Hypsopygia Lixa Walker, Macna Walker, Mapeta Maradana Moore, 1884 Micromastra Schaus, 1940 Neodavisia Barnes & McDunnough, 1914 Ocrasa (including Orthopygia, mostly placed in Hypsopygia) Perisseretma Warren, 1895 Pseudasopia Grote, 1873 (mostly placed in Hypsopygia) Pyralis Linnaeus, 1758 Pyralis farinalis – meal moth Pyralis manihotalis Pyralis pictalis – Poplar pyralis, painted meal moth Scenedra Meyrick, 1884 Scenedra decoratalis Scenidiopis Turner, 1904 Stemmatophora Guenée in Boisduval & Guenée, 1854 Synaphe Hübner, Synaphe punctalis Taboga Dyar, 1914 Tanyethira Turner, 1911 Therapne Ragonot, 1890 Trebania Ragonot, 1892 Trebania flavifrontalis (Leech, 1889) Tretopteryx Ragonot, 1890 Ulotricha Lederer, 1863 Vitessa Moore,
Numerous Pyralinae genera have not yet been assigned to a tribe, and in general the subfamily is in need of thorough revision. Some genera have explicitly been allied with Pyralini genera in the past and might more likely than others be members of the present subfamily:Wikispecies (29 May 2011) contra references in Savela (2011) Loryma Walker, 1859 Scotomera Butler, 1881 Tegulifera Saalmüller, 1880 Zitha Walker, (including Tamraca)
Tanaobela is a more complicated case; it has by some authors been assigned to the grass moths (Crambidae, formerly included in the Pyralidae). Others have placed it in the Pyralini, which may well be correct.
Synonyms The Pyralini have some objective junior synonyms due to misidentifications of specimens by early entomologists. In addition, presumed lineages around Aglossa, Mapeta (= Homalochroa) and Synaphe (= Cledeobia) were once considered taxonomically distinct, often even as subfamilies, but are today included in the present tribe. While they are not likely to be subfamilies, their actual taxonomic status will be determined by future analyses. The presently-obsolete synonyms of Pyralini are:See references in Savela (2011) Aglossinae A.Blanchard, 1840 Asopidae Guenée, 1854 Asopiinae Guenée, 1854 Cledeobiinae A.Blanchard, 1840 Homalochroidae Lederer, 1863 Homalochroinae Lederer, 1863
Footnotes
References
(2011): Markku Savela's Lepidoptera and Some Other Life Forms: Pyralinae. Version of 3 March 2011. Retrieved 29 May 2011. (2007): Phylogenetic studies and modern classification of the Pyraloidea (Lepidoptera). Revista Colombiana de Entomología 33(1): 1-8 [English with Spanish abstract]. HTML fulltext