Description

Olethreutine moths often have fruit-boring larvae and this economically important group includes many horticultural pests such as codling moths, Oriental fruit moths and macadamia nut borers. This volume is the first reference to describe the 90 olethreutine genera present in Australia.

It provides generic definitions, a key to genera, generic descriptions, and illustrations of adults, heads, venation, genitalia of both sexes and other diagnostic structures of all genera. Summaries of biology and distribution and a checklist for all named Australian species are given for each genus. Importantly, it includes a comprehensive reorganisation of olethreutine classification, based on generic revisions, with a worldwide impact.

The volume contains copious illustrations (two species per genus where possible) to convey generic concepts, and to allow identification of this economically important group. Nearly all olethreutine genera present in Australia extend into Asia and beyond, so the book will be relevant to horticultural pests throughout Asia, and crucial to an understanding of olethreutine evolution worldwide.

The diverse Australian olethreutine fauna is particularly rich in enarmoniine and grapholitine genera, several new to science and adding significantly to the concepts of these two tribes. Given the wealth of biological information, the book will be important for ecological work on phytophagous insects well beyond Australia.

A major revision of the species
Phylogeny-based reorganisation of olethreutine taxonomy and higher classification, with worldwide implications.
Provides information about the Australian olethreutine fauna, to allow identification at least to genus within Australia and of a considerable part of the fauna also in the Oriental region, economically important or common taxa to species level.
Provides the framework for further research on species resolution within genera for Australian Olethreutinae.
Makes an economically important group that is considered to be difficult accessible to non-specialists.