Phycitinae | |
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Imago of unidentified Acrobasis species (tribe Phycitini) from Tourves (Var, France) | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Class: | Insecta |
Order: | Lepidoptera |
Family: | Pyralidae |
Subfamily: | Phycitinae Zeller, 1839 |
Type species | |
Tinea spissicella | |
Diversity | |
4 tribes (and see text) 600 genera 4000 species | |
Synonyms | |
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The Phycitinae are a subfamily of snout moths (family Pyralidae). Even though the Pyralidae subfamilies are all quite diverse, Phycitinae stand out even by standards of their family: with over 600 genera considered valid and more than 4000 species[2] placed here at present, they unite up more than three-quarters of living snout moth diversity. Together with the closely related Epipaschiinae, they are apparently the most advanced lineage of snout moths.
Phycitinae occur all over Earth's land masses, except in completely inhospitable areas; the majority of species has a tropical distribution however. Phycitinae have even been found on very remote oceanic islands, and a few species have been intentionally or unintentionally distributed by humans beyond their native range.[3]
The subfamily was established as a systematic group by Philipp Christoph Zeller in 1839, who called them "Phycideen".[4]: 175 The type genus of Phycitinae is Phycidea Zeller, 1839, with Tinea sinuella Fabricius, 1794 as type species.[5]: 219 Phycidea is nowadays considered a synonym of the genus Homoeosoma.[1][5]
Dioryctria abietella (Denis & Schiffermüller) has reproductive organs and spermatophore that are morphologically similar to those of other Lepidoptera. Many females had eggs in their bulla seminalis, but they didn't entirely obstruct sperm transportation. The spermatophore's opening end has a serrulate surface with a tiny horn. These microstructures are most likely used to keep the ductus seminalis opening aligned.[6]