Pyralis manihotalis
{{Short description|Species of moth}}
{{Speciesbox
| image = Pyralis manihotalis.jpg
| image_caption =
| genus = Pyralis
| species = manihotalis
| authority = Guenee, 1854
| synonyms =
- Pyralis achatina Butler, 1877
- Pyralis vetusalis Walker, [1859]
- Asopia gerontesalis Walker, 1859
- Pyralis gerontesalis
- Asopia gerontialis (misspelling)
- Sacatia laudatella Walker, 1863
- Pyralis despectalis Walker, [1866]
- Pyralis miseralis Walker, [1866]
- Asopia haematinalis Saalmüller, 1880
- Endotricha centripunctalis Gaede, 1916
- Pyralis pupalis Strand, 1919
- Pyralis ingentalis Caradja, 1927
- Pyralis compsobathra Meyrick, 1932
}}
Pyralis manihotalis is a moth of the family Pyralidae described by Achille Guenée in 1854.
Distribution
It is a widespread, pan-tropical species (Robinson et al., 1994{{smallcaps|Robinson, G.S.}}, {{smallcaps|Tuck, K.R.}} & {{smallcaps|Shaffer, M.}}, 1994. A Field Guide to the Smaller Moths of South-East Asia. The Natural History Museum, London & Malaysian Nature Society, Kuala Lumpur. 307 pp.), known from Africa, India, Sri Lanka, China, Taiwan, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, the Philippines, Australia, Samoa, Hawaii, South America and the West Indies. It is occasionally recorded from Europe through accidental importation in bones and animal hides.
Description
The wingspan is about 12–20 mm (Robinson et al., 1994; Weinstein & Edwards, 1994;{{smallcaps|Weistein, P.}} & {{smallcaps|Edwards, E.D.}}, 1994. Troglophilic moths in Australia: first record of a self-sustaining population. Journal of the Australian Entomological Society 33: 371-319 Wang, 2000{{smallcaps|Wang, H.Y.}}, 2000. Guide Book to Insects in Taiwan. 19, Pyraloidea (Pyralidae, Crambidae). Shu Shin Books, Taipei, Taiwan. xii+295 pp.), although given as a rather generous 24–37 mm in Goater (1986).{{smallcaps|Goater, B.}}, 1986. British Pyralid Moths - A Guide to their Identification. Harley Books, Colchester, England. 175 pp.
Ecology
The larvae feed on a wide range of dead and decaying materials, including stored grain, meal, pulses, dried fruit, bones, animal hides (Goater, 1986; Robinson et al., 1994) and chocolate. Adults are primarily nocturnal, though easily disturbed by day in warehouses; they are attracted to ultraviolet light (Robinson et al., 1994). Weistein and Edwards (1994) found a self-sustaining population of this moth species feeding on bat guano in a cave.
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category}}
- {{cite book |last=Zimmerman |first=Elwood C. |author-link=Elwood Zimmerman |date=1958 |title=Insects of Hawaii |volume=8 Lepidoptera: Pyraloidea |publisher=University of Hawaii Press|hdl=10125/7337 }}
- [http://www.hantsmoths.org.uk/species/1418.php "62.0712 [B&F: 1418] Pyralis manihotalis Guenée, 1854"]. Hantsmoths. Retrieved 22 November 2017.
- Weinstein, P. & Edwards, E.D. (1994) [http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1440-6055.1994.tb01253.x/pdf "Troglophilic Moths in Australia: First Record of a Self-sustaining Population"]. Journal of the Australian Entomological Society. 33: 371-319.
{{Taxonbar|from=Q7263217}}
Category:Moths described in 1854
Category:Fauna of the Pantropical realm
{{Pyralini-stub}}