Byturidae, also known as fruitworms, are small family of cleroid beetles with over 15 described species, primarily distributed in the Holarctic and Southeast Asia. The larvae of at least some genera feed on fruit, such as Byturus, a notable commercial pest of Rubus (blackberries and raspberries) consuming both the fruit and seeds, while others like Xerasia are associated with catkins. The adults are known to feed on developing leaves, flowers and pollen.
There are two subfamilies: Platydascillinae and Byturinae. The distribution of Byturinae is Holarctic. Species of Platydascillinae are found in Southeast Asia.
Classification
Subfamilies and genera are as below:
- Subfamily Byturinae
- Genus Haematoides
- Haematoides davidis <small>Fairmaire, 1878 (= Byturodes grahami)</small>
- Genus Byturus
- Byturus affinis <small>Reitter, 1874</small>
- Byturus ochraceus <small>(Scriba, 1791)</small>
- Byturus tomentosus <small>(De Geer, 1774)</small>
- Byturus unicolor <small>Say, 1823</small>
- Byturus wittmeri <small>Sen Gupta</small>
- Genus Xerasia
- Xerasia grisescens <small>(Jayne, 1882)</small>
- Xerasia meschniggi <small>(Reitter, 1905)</small>
- Xerasia punica <small>Goodrich & Springer, 1988</small>
- Xerasia variegata <small>Lewis, 1895</small>
- Subfamily Platydascillinae
- Genus Bispinatus
- Bispinatus capillatus <small>Springer & Goodrich, 1995</small>
- Bispinatus vietnamensis <small>Springer & Goodrich, 1994</small>
- Genus Dascillocyphon
- Dascillocyphon minor <small>Everts, 1909</small>
- Genus Platydascillus
- Platydascillus sumatranus <small>Everts, 1909</small>
- Genus Remigera
- Remigera securiformis <small>Springer & Goodrich, 1994</small>
- Remigera spatulata <small>Springer & Goodrich, 1994</small>
References