Glaphyriinae, W. T. M. Forbes, 1923

Singh, Navneet, Ranjan, Rahul, Talukdar, Avishek, Joshi, Rahul, Kirti, Jagbir Singh, Chandra, Kailash & Mally, Richard, 2022, A catalogue of Indian Pyraloidea (Lepidoptera), Zootaxa 5197 (1), pp. 1-423 : 30-32

2.3. Glaphyriinae

Diversity and distribution: Glaphyriinae were subject to several nomenclatural changes, with the former Cathariinae , Cybalomiinae , Dichogaminae , Evergestinae , and Noordinae now all are considered as synonyms ( Munroe & Solis 1999, Regier et al. 2012, Léger et al. 2020). The subfamily comprise 509 species in 75 genera worldwide (Nuss et al. 2003 – 2022, Léger et al. 2020). In India, 29 species in 10 genera are reported, representing 5.69% of the global Glaphyriinae diversity. Of the 10 genera reported from India, four genera are represented by single species, five genera by less than 10 species, and one genus, Trichophysetis Meyrickis reported by 11 species ( Fig. 18 ). In India, the Glaphyriinae are most diverse in North East, followed by the West- and North West Himalaya, the Gangetic plain, the Deccan Peninsula, the Western Ghats, the Semi Arid and the central Himalaya biogeographic zones ( Fig. 19 ).

Adult characters: small to medium-sized moths (10–46 mm) with short to long, narrow body, above which the wings are held in a roof-like fashion in resting position. Adults usually nocturnal and attracted to light. Head: ocelli mostly present, chaetosemata absent, proboscis variable from well developed to sometimes reduced or absent. Labial palps usually long, porrect or upturned, first and second palpomeres usually long, third shorter, often with thick, bushy scaling. Maxillary palps often well developed with apical tuft of scales.Antennae shorter than forewing length. Forewing long, narrow to broadly triangular, with fairly simple maculation and well-defined discocellular spot. CuP absent, anal veins free or forming a large loop. Males with fovea between R 3+4 and R 5. Hindwing broad, maculation plain, pearly-white and darker towards termen, or with similar coloration to forewing. Sc+R 1 anastomosed with Rs beyond end of discal cell. M 1 separate or short-stalked with Rs. Base of CuA pectinate with fine piliform scales, or not pectinate. Underside similar but paler, with faint impressions of markings from upper side. Males mostly with frenulum hook, frenulum single in males, multiple or single in females. Praecinctorium unilobed or weakly bilobed. Tympanal organs in Cathariinae sexually dimorphic, being reduced in females, and the tympanal ridge lateral in males, and almost dorsal in females. Male genitalia with well-developed, long, slender uncus (wide, distally rounded in Catharia Lederer ). Gnathos variable from reduced or absent to well-developed, articulated with tegumen sides, dorsally spinose, sometimes with transverse bridge and a very short element arising from its centre. Tegumen high and narrowly arched. Transtilla complete to reduced. Valva broadly rounded to narrow and elongate, usually unarmed. Juxta U-shaped or annular, often with spinose lateral elements. Phallus cylindrical, often angled behind centre, where the ductus ejaculatorius attaches to the apodeme, vesica with or without one or multiple cornuti. In female genitalia, corpus bursae with paired, usually rounded and spinose, occasionally fused signa, or signa absent ( Common 1990, Robinson et al. 1994, Munroe & Solis 1999, Holloway et al. 2001).

Larval characters: the morphology of Glaphyriinae larvae is similar to that of Pyraustinae , and many diagnostic characters are uncertain ( Solis et al. 2009, Munroe & Solis 1999). Larval characters for Evergestis Hübner and Cybalomia Lederer are provided by Hasenfuss (1960).

Food plants: larvae bore in branches, stems or bark, feed in buds or heads, or on folded leaves, where they might feed gregariously under a web. The caterpillars mostly feed on Brassicales (e. g. Brassicaceae , Capparaceae , Moringaceae ), a feeding habit observed rarely in Lepidoptera ( Solis et al. 2009) . Hellula Guenée larvae can be a major pest of crops worldwide ( Munroe & Solis 1999). Dicymolomia Zeller larvae are recorded boring in stems of Opuntia Dyar ( Caryophyllales : Cactaceae ) and in heads of Typha spp. ( Poales : Typhaceae ), on Cirsium lecontei (Asteraceae) , Gossypium (Malvaceae) , Astragalus canadensis and Lupinus (Fabaceae) , as predators on eggs and larvae of bagworms ( Psychidae ). Others feed in flattened cases on lichens, or are commensals in nests of Vespidae wasps ( Wagner 1985, Common 1990, Robinson et al. 1994, Munroe & Solis 1999, Holloway et al. 2001).

Figures

FIGURE 18. Species diversity of Indian Glaphyriinae genera.

FIGURE 19. Species diversity of Indian Glaphyriinae in different biogeographic zones/zones.