The Erebinae are a

subfamily In biological classification, a subfamily (Latin: ', plural ') is an auxiliary (intermediate) taxonomic rank, next below family but more inclusive than genus. Standard nomenclature rules end botanical subfamily names with "-oideae", and zo ...

moths Moths are a group of insects that includes all members of the order Lepidoptera that are not butterflies. They were previously classified as suborder Heterocera, but the group is paraphyletic with respect to butterflies (suborder Rhopalocera) a ...

in the family

Erebidae The Erebidae are a family (biology), family of moths in the superfamily Noctuoidea. The family is among the largest families of moths by species count and contains a wide variety of well-known macromoth groups. The family includes the underwin ...

erected by

William Elford Leach William Elford Leach (2 February 1791 – 25 August 1836) was an English zoologist and marine biologist. Life and work Elford Leach was born at Hoe Gate, Plymouth, the son of an attorney. At the age of twelve he began a medical apprenticesh ...

in 1815. Erebine moths are found on all continents except Antarctica, but reach their greatest diversity in the tropics. While the exact number of species belonging to the Erebinae is not known, the subfamily is estimated to include around 10,000 species. Some well-known Erebinae include underwing moths (''

Catocala ''Catocala'' is a generally Holarctic genus of moths in the family Erebidae. The genus was erected by Franz von Paula Schrank in 1802. The moths are commonly known as underwing moths or simply underwings. These terms are sometimes used for a fe ...

'') and witch moths (

Thermesiini The Thermesiini are a tribe (biology), tribe of moths in the family Erebidae. Genera *''Ascalapha'' *''Feigeria'' *''Hemeroblemma'' *''Latebraria'' *''Letis'' *''Thysania'' References

Thermesiini, Erebinae Moth tribes {{Erebinae-s ...

). Many of the species in the subfamily have medium to large wingspans (7 to 10 cm, 3 to 4 inches), up to nearly 30 cm in the white witch moth (''

Thysania agrippina ''Thysania agrippina'' is a species of moth in the family Erebidae. It was described by Maria Sibylla Merian in her 1705 publication ''Metamorphosis insectorum Surinamensium,'' and Pieter Cramer provided the formal description of the species ...

''), which has the widest wingspan of all

Lepidoptera Lepidoptera ( ) or lepidopterans is an order (biology), order of winged insects which includes butterflies and moths. About 180,000 species of the Lepidoptera have been described, representing 10% of the total described species of living organ ...

. Erebine caterpillars feed on a broad range of plants; many species feed on

grasses Poaceae ( ), also called Gramineae ( ), is a large and nearly ubiquitous family of monocotyledonous flowering plants commonly known as grasses. It includes the cereal grasses, bamboos, the grasses of natural grassland and species cultivated in ...

and

legume Legumes are plants in the pea family Fabaceae (or Leguminosae), or the fruit or seeds of such plants. When used as a dry grain for human consumption, the seeds are also called pulses. Legumes are grown agriculturally, primarily for human consum ...

s, and a few are pests of

castor bean ''Ricinus communis'', the castor bean or castor oil plant, is a species of perennial flowering plant in the spurge family, Euphorbiaceae. It is the sole species in the monotypic genus, ''Ricinus'', and subtribe, Ricininae. The evolution of ca ...

sugarcane Sugarcane or sugar cane is a species of tall, Perennial plant, perennial grass (in the genus ''Saccharum'', tribe Andropogoneae) that is used for sugar Sugar industry, production. The plants are 2–6 m (6–20 ft) tall with stout, jointed, fib ...

rice Rice is a cereal grain and in its Domestication, domesticated form is the staple food of over half of the world's population, particularly in Asia and Africa. Rice is the seed of the grass species ''Oryza sativa'' (Asian rice)—or, much l ...

, as well as

pistachio The pistachio (, ; ''Pistacia vera'') is a small to medium-sized tree of the Anacardiaceae, cashew family, originating in Iran. The tree produces nut (fruit)#Culinary definition and uses, seeds that are widely consumed as food. In 2022, world ...

s and

blackberries BlackBerry is a discontinued brand of handheld devices and related mobile services, originally developed and maintained by the Canadian company Research In Motion (RIM, later known as BlackBerry Limited) until 2016. The first BlackBerry device ...

Morphology

Erebine moths possess a number of adaptations for predator defense. Most Erebinae, such as '' Zale'' have mottled, drably colored hindwings to better blend in with grass and tree trunks. In some Erebinae, such as ''

'', cryptically colored forewings conceal brightly colored hindwings which are suddenly revealed when the moth is disturbed from rest. The sudden exposure of these bright colors is thought to startle vertebrate predators, giving the moths extra time to escape. Like other

Noctuoidea Noctuoidea is the superfamily of noctuid (Latin "night owl") or "owlet" moths, and has more than 70,000 described species, the largest number of any Lepidopteran superfamily. Its classification has not yet reached a satisfactory or stable stat ...

, erebine moths can detect the calls of echolocating bats or other approaching predators using hearing organs ( tympana), which are among the most sensitive in the superfamily.

Taxonomy

Prior to recent phylogenetic studies on the superfamily

, most Erebinae were classified within the

noctuid The Noctuidae, commonly known as owlet moths, cutworms or armyworms, are a family of moths. Taxonomically, they are considered the most controversial family in the superfamily Noctuoidea because many of the clades are constantly changing, along w ...

subfamily

Catocalinae The Catocalinae are a subfamily of noctuoid moths, placed in family Noctuidae. In the alternative arrangement, where the Noctuidae are reduced to the core group around the Noctuinae, the present lineage is abolished, the upranked Catocalini be ...

, on the basis of a classification proposed by

George Hampson Sir George Francis Hampson, 10th Baronet (14 January 1860 – 15 October 1936) was an English entomologist. Hampson studied at Charterhouse School and Exeter College, Oxford. He travelled to India to become a tea-planter in the Nilgiri Hills ...

at the start of the 20th century. Based on mounting evidence from molecular phylogenetic studies, Michael Fibiger and J. Donald Lafontaine transferred Erebinae and relatives from the Noctuidae to the Erebidae, and reinstated Erebinae as a subfamily. Later, Catocalinae was synonymized with Erebinae in the classifications proposed by Lafontaine and Christian Schmidt and Zahiri et al. A historical summary of the systematics of this group is provided by Jeremy Daniel Holloway, and a more detailed review of Erebinae taxonomy can be found in Nicholas T. Homziak et al. The most recent study by Zahriri et al. forms the basis for the current definition of the Erebinae. On the basis of consistent molecular support, Zahiri et al. identified several potential morphological synapomorphies for the subfamily:

proboscis A proboscis () is an elongated appendage from the head of an animal, either a vertebrate or an invertebrate. In invertebrates, the term usually refers to tubular arthropod mouthparts, mouthparts used for feeding and sucking. In vertebrates, a pr ...

with smooth

apex The apex is the highest point of something. The word may also refer to: Arts and media Fictional entities * Apex (comics) A-Bomb Abomination Absorbing Man Abraxas Abyss Abyss is the name of two characters appearing in Ameri ...

and

sensilla A sensillum (plural ''sensilla'') is an arthropod sensory organ protruding from the cuticle of exoskeleton, or sometimes lying within or beneath it. Sensilla appear as small hairs or pegs over an individual's body. Inside each sensillum there are ...

styloconica

dorsally Standard anatomical terms of location are used to describe unambiguously the anatomy of humans and other animals. The terms, typically derived from Latin or Greek roots, describe something in its standard anatomical position. This position provi ...

, modified seventh

abdominal The abdomen (colloquially called the gut, belly, tummy, midriff, tucky, or stomach) is the front part of the torso between the thorax (chest) and pelvis in humans and in other vertebrates. The area occupied by the abdomen is called the abdominal ...

sternite The sternum (: sterna) is the ventral portion of a segment of an arthropod thorax or abdomen. In insects, the sterna are usually single, large sclerites, and external. However, they can sometimes be divided in two or more, in which case the su ...

in the female, divided in to two lobes surrounding the ostium bursae (female

copulatory Sexual intercourse (also coitus or copulation) is a sexual activity typically involving the insertion of the erect male penis inside the female vagina and followed by thrusting motions for sexual pleasure, reproduction, or both.Sexual inter ...

opening). In the

larva A larva (; : larvae ) is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into their next life stage. Animals with indirect development such as insects, some arachnids, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase ...

e, dorsolateral

tubercle In anatomy, a tubercle (literally 'small tuber', Latin for 'lump') is any round nodule, small eminence, or warty outgrowth found on external or internal organs of a plant or an animal. In plants A tubercle is generally a wart-like projectio ...

s on segment A8, and

pupa A pupa (; : pupae) is the life stage of some insects undergoing transformation between immature and mature stages. Insects that go through a pupal stage are holometabolous: they go through four distinct stages in their life cycle, the stages th ...

e often with waxy bloom. Within the Erebinae, Zahiri et al. recognized the following 19 tribes:

Tribes

* Acantholipini * Audeini * Catephiini *

Catocalini The Catocalini are a tribe of moths in the family Erebidae. Adults of many species in the tribe are called underwing moths due to their vividly colored hindwings that are often covered by contrastingly dark, drab forewings. Taxonomy The tribe is ...

Cocytiini The Cocytiini are a tribe of moths in the family Erebidae. Adults of some members of the subfamily, especially in the genus '' Serrodes'', have a proboscis capable of piercing fruit skins, allowing the moth to drink the fruit juice. Taxonomy The ...

Ercheiini The Ercheiini are a tribe of moths in the family Erebidae. Taxonomy The tribe may be most closely related to the tribe Hulodini, also within the Erebinae. Genera *'' Anophiodes'' *''Ercheia ''Ercheia'' is a genus of moths in the family Ereb ...

Erebini The Erebini are a tribe of moths in the family Erebidae. Genera *''Erebus'' *'' Erygia'' *''Lygniodes ''Lygniodes'' is a genus of moths in the family Erebidae first described by Achille Guenée in 1852. The genus is restricted to the Asiatic ...

Euclidiini The Euclidiini are a tribe (biology), tribe of moths in the family Erebidae. The tribe was erected by Achille Guenée in 1852. Genera *''Caenurgia'' *''Caenurgina'' *''Callistege'' *''Celiptera'' *''Doryodes'' *''Euclidia'' *''Leucomelas'' *''M ...

Hulodini The Hulodini are a tribe of moths in the family Erebidae. Taxonomy The tribe may be most closely related to the tribe Ercheiini, also within the Erebinae. Genera *''Ericeia'' *'' Hulodes'' *''Lacera'' *''Speiredonia ''Speiredonia'' is a ge ...

Hypopyrini The Hypopyrini are a tribe of moths in the family Erebidae. Genera *'' Cometaster'' *'' Hexamitoptera'' *''Hypopyra'' *''Spirama ''Spirama'' is a genus of moths in the family Erebidae Species description, first described by Achille Guenée i ...

Melipotini The Melipotini are a tribe of moths in the family Erebidae. Genera *'' Boryzops'' *'' Bulia'' *'' Cissusa'' *''Drasteria'' *'' Forsebia'' *'' Ianius'' *'' Litocala'' *'' Melipotis'' *'' Orodesma'' *'' Panula'' *''Phoberia ''Phoberia'' is a g ...

Ommatophorini The Ommatophorini are a tribe of moths in the family Erebidae. Genera *''Calyptis ''Calyptis'' is a genus of moths in the family Erebidae The Erebidae are a family (biology), family of moths in the superfamily Noctuoidea. The family is ...

Omopterini The Omopterini are a tribe (biology), tribe of moths in the family Erebidae. Taxonomy The tribe was split from the tribe Ophiusini (also in the subfamily Erebinae) after phylogenetic analysis showed that the New World genera were not the closest ...

Ophiusini The Ophiusini are a tribe (biology), tribe of moths in the family Erebidae. Taxonomy The tribe is one of the most successful of the major Evolutionary radiation, radiations of the subfamily Erebinae. The tribe was previously classified as the s ...

Pandesmini The Pandesmini are a tribe of moths in the family Erebidae The Erebidae are a family (biology), family of moths in the superfamily Noctuoidea. The family is among the largest families of moths by species count and contains a wide variety of ...

* Pericymini *

Poaphilini The Poaphilini are a tribe (biology), tribe of moths in the family Erebidae. Taxonomy Phylogenetic studies have shown that the tribe is most closely related to the tribe Ophiusini. Those studies indicate that the genera ''Achaea (moth), Achaea'' ...

Sypnini The Sypnini are a tribe of moths in the family Erebidae The Erebidae are a family (biology), family of moths in the superfamily Noctuoidea. The family is among the largest families of moths by species count and contains a wide variety of wel ...

Thermesiini The Thermesiini are a tribe (biology), tribe of moths in the family Erebidae. Genera *''Ascalapha'' *''Feigeria'' *''Hemeroblemma'' *''Latebraria'' *''Letis'' *''Thysania'' References

Thermesiini, Erebinae Moth tribes {{Erebinae-s ...

*''

Incertae sedis or is a term used for a taxonomy (biology), taxonomic group where its broader relationships are unknown or undefined. Alternatively, such groups are frequently referred to as "enigmatic taxa". In the system of open nomenclature, uncertainty ...

'' File:Pl.6-15-Ugia transversa (Moore, 1882) (Iluza).JPG, Acantholipini: ''

Ugia transversa ''Ugia transversa'' is a species of moth in the family Erebidae first described by Frederic Moore in 1882. It is found from the north-eastern Himalayas to southern China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a coun ...

'' File:Audea hypostigmata.JPG, Audeini: '' Audea hypostigmata'' File:Catephia alchymista.jpg, Catephiini: ''

Catephia alchymista ''Catephia alchymista'', the white underwing or alchymist, is a moth in the family Erebidae found in Asia, Europe and North Africa. The species was first described by Michael Denis and Ignaz Schiffermüller in 1775. Technical description and ...

'' File:Catocala chelidonia uniforma.JPG,

: '' Catocala chelidonia'' File:Cocytia Durvillei.jpg,

: '' Cocytia durvillii'' File:Ercheia multilinea.jpg,

: ''

Ercheia multilinea ''Ercheia multilinea'' is a species of moth of the family Erebidae. It is found in Sundaland, the Philippines, Sulawesi and Seram. The species is infrequent in forest from the lowlands to 1790m, but is perhaps more often encountered above 1000m. ...

'' File:Erebus Macrops.jpg,

: ''

Erebus macrops ''Erebus macrops'', the common owl-moth, is a species of moth of the family Erebidae Species description, first described by Carl Linnaeus in 1768. It is found in the subtropical regions of Africa and Asia. The wingspan is about 12 cm, makin ...

'' File:Callistege.mi.2040.jpg,

: ''

Callistege mi ''Callistege mi'', the Mother Shipton moth, is a moth of the family Erebidae. It was classified by Carl Alexander Clerck in 1759, and is also known under the name of ''Euclidia mi''. In Finnish language, Finnish it is known as ''piirtoyökkönen' ...

'' File:Hulodes caranea (Noctuidae Catocalinae).jpg,

: ''

Hulodes caranea ''Hulodes caranea'' is a species of moth of the family Erebidae first described by Pieter Cramer in 1780. It is found from India, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Java, Hong Kong to Queensland and New Guinea, it is also found on the Marianas and Carolines. ...

'' File:Hypopyra capensis (13890401290).jpg,

: ''

Hypopyra capensis ''Hypopyra capensis'' is a moth of the family Erebidae first described by Gottlieb August Wilhelm Herrich-Schäffer in 1854.Poole, R. W. (1989). ''Lepidopterorum Catalogus'' (New Series) Fascicle 118, Noctuidae. CRC Press. . This moth species is ...

'' File:- 8591 – Phoberia atomaris – Common Oak Moth (17082063132).jpg,

: ''

Phoberia atomaris ''Phoberia atomaris'', the common oak moth, is a species of moth in the family Erebidae. The species is found in North America, from Quebec and Ontario south to Florida, and west to Kansas and Texas. The wingspan is about 38 mm. Adults are ...

'' File:瞳夜蛾 Ommatophora luminosa (Cramer,1780) (10239537663).jpg,

: '' Ommatophora luminosa'' File:Zale lunata – Lunate Zale Moth (14659256598).jpg,

: '' Zale lunata'' File:Ophiusa discriminans female dorsal.jpg,

: '' Ophiusa discriminans'' File:Pandesma submurina dorsal.jpg,

: '' Pandesma submurina'' File:Pericyma_mendax_(Walker,_1858).jpg, Pericymini: ''

Pericyma mendax ''Pericyma mendax'' is a moth of the family Erebidae. It is found most countries in subtropical Africa south of the Sahara, in Cape Verde, Mauritius, La Réunion and Madagascar. It has a wingspan of approx. 40mm. Host plants of the larvae are ...

'' File:Dysgonia algira.jpg,

: ''

Dysgonia algira Dysgonia algira, the passenger, is a moth of the family Noctuidae. The species was first described by Carl Linnaeus in 1767 and is found in the Palearctic - from the southern half of Europe and parts of North Africa through West, Central and So ...

'' File:Pterocyclophora huntei - Leyte - Philippines - 06-2010 (8372567909).jpg,

: ''

Pterocyclophora huntei ''Pterocyclophora huntei'' is a moth of the family Noctuidae first described by Warren in 1903. It is found in Seram, New Guinea, Australia and the Solomon Islands Solomon Islands, also known simply as the Solomons,John Prados, ''Islands ...

'' File:Flickr - ggallice - Thysania zenobia d.jpg,

Thermesiini The Thermesiini are a tribe (biology), tribe of moths in the family Erebidae. Genera *''Ascalapha'' *''Feigeria'' *''Hemeroblemma'' *''Latebraria'' *''Letis'' *''Thysania'' References

Thermesiini, Erebinae Moth tribes {{Erebinae-s ...

: '' Thysania zenobia'' Genera with tribe not available: * '' Honeyia''

References

Fauna Europaea Fauna Europaea is a database of the scientific names and distribution of all living multicellular European land and fresh-water animals. It serves as a standard taxonomic source for animal taxonomy within the Pan-European Species directories Infr ...

(2011)
Erebinae
Version 2.4, 27 January 2011. Retrieved 27 December 2011. * {{Taxonbar, from=Q15734243 Moth subfamilies