Overview
By far the largest Australian genus is
Glyphipterix
(60 spp.) in which the fore wings have brilliant metallic markings. The moths fly during the day in damp places. The adults often feed at flowers or rest on their host plants, species of Juncaceae, Cyperaceae and Poaceae, and have the habit of rhythmically raising and lowering their wings.
Description
Very small to small; head with smooth lamellar scales; ocelli prominent; chaetosemata absent; antennae without pecten, filiform; proboscis present; maxillary palps small, 1- to 4-segmented; labial palps usually curved, 2nd segment thickened, usually with transverse pattern of light and dark bars; epiphysis present; spurs 0-2-4; fore wing with pterostigma to R
2
, chorda present, M-stem vestigial, R
4
and R
5
usually separate, rarely stalked, CuP present at margin or vestigial; hind wing with M
2
arising closer to M
1
than M
3
; abdomen of male with pleural lobes of 8 fused with tergum, segment 8 often with coremata; tegumen reduced, gnathos absent, anal tube long. Larval cuticle spinulose, prothoracic L group bisetose, spiracle on segment 8 enlarged and set posterodorsally, abdominal segments 8 and 9 sometimes with dorsal sclerotised shields, prolegs with crochets few, in lateral penellipse or transverse band, or absent; borers in buds, stems and seeds of monocotyledons, pupation away from host in flimsy cocoon. Pupa with small projection on head, prothoracic spiracles protruding, abdomen without dorsal spines, segment 10 with up to 12 hooked setae, not protruded at eclosion.
Distribution
The majority of the species occur in Tas. and south-eastern mainland Australia.
G
.
gemmipunctella
, which occurs from the Atherton Tableland (Qld) to Vic., has the basal half of the hind wing bright yellow and is attracted to light. [Arita 1987; Diakonoff 1986; Heppner 1982; Kyrki and Itamies 1986.]