CRAMBIDAE of Australia
Webworms and Shoot Borers
PYRALOIDEA

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

(updated 17 February 2008)

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.

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

The subfamilies in CRAMBIDAE are:

CRAMBINAE

CYBALOMIINAE

EVERGESTINAE

GLAPHYRIINAE

MUSOTIMINAE

NOORDINAE

NYMPHULINAE

ODONTIINAE

PYRAUSTINAE

SCHOENOBIINAE

SCOPARIINAE

WURTHIINAE