CRAMBIDAE  -  Pyrausta

Larval diagnosis (Detailed)

Solis (1999, 2011) defined the larva of Pyrausta sp. by having small pigmented pinacula with microscopic setae anterior to the D pinacula of the mesothorax and metathorax. She noted that Allyson (1981) characterized Pyrausta using color (lightly pigmented prothoracic shield, pale pinacula below the spiracles), size (less than 20 mm), and the variable number (two or three) of SV setae on A1. These pinacula with microsetae are also present in L. orbinalis.

European species of Pyrausta were studied by Hasenfuss (1960: 174, 175, 187) who stated that the space between stemmata one and two is larger than the distance separating stemmata two and three if the SV group is bisetose on A1. Other important characters are the SD1 pinaculum of A2 and A7 not being reduced, a front that extends 1/3 to 3/4 the distance to the epicranial notch, and some details of the frontal and prothoracic setae. Bollman (1955) took a broad view of European Pyrausta making analysis of his diagnosis difficult. He did call attention to the presence or absence of a tonofibrillary platelet on the abdomen and ringlike pigmentation on the pinacula in some species. Both European and American species can have stemmata six reduced (Allyson 1981).

Mathur (1954) illustrated "Pyrausta" coclesalis from India. The thoracic anterior pigmented pinacula with microsetae were absent but posterior pinacula lacking setae were present. The host (bamboo, etc.), pigmented prothoracic shield, and large prespiracular pinaculum suggest this species is not congeneric with other temperate Pyrausta and the current removal of this species from the genus is justified.

Identification authority (Detailed)

Origins are usually not helpful because of Pyrausta is a cosmopolitan genus. However, most interceptions are from the New World (Solis 2011). We studied the species from Jamaica on Thymus. Munroe (1976: 84) pointed out Pyrausta is difficult to define as larvae and that the majority of species feed on the mint family. Given this uncertainly, it is safest to restrict identification of Pyrausta to interceptions on the Lamiaceae. The Pyrausta from Jamaica does have the tonofibrillary platelet posterior to the spiracle on A3-6 mentioned by Bollman (1955: fig. 225). The prespiracular group surrounds the prothoracic spiracle, an unusual but not unique modification. Unlike the diagnosis by Allyson (1981), the pigmented prothoracic shield is pigmented and all the body pinacula are sometimes dark. At least for the Pyrausta from Jamaica on Thymus, V1 on A3-6 is on a round pinaculum; compared to many other Spilomelinae and Pyraustinae, this is unusual.

The "anterior pinacula with microsetae" from Solis (1999, 2011) is merely another name for the MD setae. This character is more correctly defined as "MD1 and MSD1-2 setae on pigmented pinacula." These setae are present in Lepidoptera (Stehr 1987) but may not be obvious unless the pinacula are large.

On appearance, larvae of Pyrausta look like Achyra (Allyson 1981). Thus it is important to examine Pyrausta larvae carefully and use caution if not from mints. Hostplant information does exist for many of the species, including those on other plant families.

CRAMBIDAE  -  Pyrausta

Origin records

Genus species has been intercepted from the following locations:

Albania, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Brazil, British Virgin Islands, Cambodia, Cameroon, Chile, China, Colombia, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Gabon, Gambia, Greece, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, India, Israel, Jamaica, Japan (?), Jordan, Lebanon, Macedonia, Mexico, Morocco, Netherlands, Nigeria, Oman, Palestinian Territory, Panama, Peru, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Romania, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, Tanzania, Thailand, Tortola, Trinidad and Tobago, United Kingdom of Great Britain and N. Ireland, US Virgin Islands, Viet Nam

Host records

Genus species has been intercepted on the following hosts:

Allium sp., Alstroemeria sp., Amaranthus caudatus, Amaranthus retroflexus, Amaranthus sp., Amaranthus spinosus, Amaranthus viridis, Annona muricata, Anthriscus cerefolium, Artemisia dracunculus, Artemisia sp., Betula sp., Borago officinalis, Brassica sp., Butia sp., Capsicum annuum, Carica papaya, Chamaemelum nobile, Chenopodium sp., Cichorium intybus, Cinnamomum verum, Cirsium setidens, Citrus sp., Corchorus sp., Coriandrum sativum, Coridothymus capitatus, Cucumis sativus, Cucumis sp., Cucurbita maxima, Cucurbita pepo, Cucurbita sp., Eremurus sp., Eruca vesicaria, Eryngium sp., Erythrina berteroana, Erythrina sp., Eucalyptus sp., Gerbera sp., Gnetum sp., Hydrangea sp., Lablab purpureus, Lamiaceae, Lantana sp., Lathyrus sp., Lilium sp., Limonium sp., Lippia sp., Malus domestica, Mentha arvensis, Mentha longifolia, Mentha officinalis, Mentha piperita, Mentha sp., Mentha spicata, Momordica balsamina, Momordica charantia, Momordica sp., Monarda sp., Moringa oleifera, Musa sp., Nasturtium officinale, Nasturtium sp., Ocimum basilicum, Ocimum sanctum, Ocimum sp., Opuntia sp., Origanum majorana, Origanum sp., Origanum vulgare, Phaseolus sp., Phaseolus vulgaris, Piper sp., Portulaca oleracea, Psidium sp., Pterocarpus sp., Punica granatum, Rosmarinus officinalis, Rosmarinus sp., Rumex acetosa, Rumex sp., Ruta sp., Saccharum officinarum, Sageretia sp., Salvia officinalis, Salvia sp., Sechium edule, Solanum melongena, Solanum sp., Solanum tuberosum, Sophora secundiflora, Spinacia oleracea, Spinacia sp., Telfairia occidentalis, Thymus citriodorus, Thymus sp., Thymus vulgaris, Xanthosoma hastifolium, Zea mays, Ziziphus jujuba

Hosts listed here outside of the Lamiaceae need confirmation.

CRAMBIDAE  -  Pyrausta

Setal map

Pyrausta setal map

Click here to download a full-size printable PDF of this larval setal map