Heliothinae is a small, cosmopolitan

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 ...

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

s in the

family Family (from ) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). It forms the basis for social order. Ideally, families offer predictabili ...

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

, with about 400 described species worldwide. It includes a number of economically significant agricultural pest species, such as '' Helicoverpa armigera'' and ''

Helicoverpa zea ''Helicoverpa zea, ''commonly known as the corn earworm, is a species (formerly in the genus ''Heliothis'') in the family Noctuidae. The larva of the moth ''Helicoverpa zea'' is a major agricultural pest (organism), pest. Since it is polyphagous ...

''.

Taxonomy

The subfamily has been studied extensively. Important works include studies by Hardwick (1965 and 1970) and Matthews (1988).

Distribution and diversity

Heliothinae is a cosmopolitan subfamily of around 400 species. Its species thrive in hot, dry regions of the world, and the subfamily has its highest species diversity in seasonally-arid tropics and subtropics, such as those found Australia, sections of Asia, the southwest region of the United States, and Africa.

Larvae

The subfamily includes both

specialist species A generalist species is able to thrive in a wide variety of environmental conditions and can make use of a variety of different resources (for example, a heterotroph with a varied diet). A specialist species can thrive only in a narrow range of en ...

, of which the larvae feed on only a limited range of plants, and polyphagous generalist species. The subfamily contains several agricultural pests, including '' Helicoverpa armigera'', '' Helicoverpa assulta'', ''

'', '' Helicoverpa punctigera'' and '' Heliothis virescens''.

Genera

The subfamily includes the following genera: * '' Adisura'' Moore, 1881 * '' Aedophron'' Lederer, 1857 * '' Australothis'' Matthews, 1991 * '' Baptarma'' Smith, 1904 * '' Chloridea'' Duncan & Westwood, 1841 * '' Chazaria'' Moore, 1881 * '' Derrima'' Walker, 1858 * '' Eutricopis'' Morrison, 1875 * '' Hebdomochondra'' Staudinger, 1879 * '' Helicoverpa'' Hardwick, 1965 * '' Heliocheilus'' Grote, 1865 * '' Heliolonche'' Grote, 1873 * '' Heliothis'' Ochsenheimer, 1816 * '' Heliothodes'' Hampson, 1910 * '' Melaporphyria'' Grote, 1874 * '' Micriantha'' Hampson, 1908 * '' Microhelia'' Hampson, 1910 * '' Periphanes'' Hübner, 1821 * '' Protadisura'' Matthews, 1991 * '' Psectrotarsia'' Dognin, 1907 * '' Pyrocleptria'' Hampson, 1903 * '' Pyrrhia'' Hübner, 1821 * '' Rhodoecia'' Hampson, 1910 * ''

Schinia ''Schinia'', commonly called flower moths, is a large genus of moths belonging to the family Noctuidae The Noctuidae, commonly known as owlet moths, cutworms or armyworms, are a family (biology), family of moths. Taxonomically, they are consid ...

'' Hübner, 1818 * '' Stenoecia'' Warren, 1911 * '' Timora'' Walker, 1856

Selected former genera

* '' Erythroecia'' Hampson, 1910 * '' Masalia'' Moore, 1881 (now included in '' Heliocheilus'') * '' Thyreion'' Smith, 1891

References

* Cho, S.; Mitchell, A.; Mitter, C.; Regier, J.; Matthews, M.; Robertson, R. 2008: Molecular phylogenetics of heliothine moths (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae: Heliothinae), with comments on the evolution of host range and pest status. ''Systematic entomology'', 33: 581-594. * ICZN 1985: Opinion 1312. ''Heliothis'' Ochsenheimer, 1816 (Insecta: Lepidoptera): gender and stem designated. ''Bulletin of zoological nomenclature'', 42: 158-159.
BioStor
* Lafontaine, J.D.; Schmidt, B.C. 2010: Annotated check list of the Noctuoidea (Insecta, Lepidoptera) of North America north of Mexico
''ZooKeys''
40: 1-239.

External links

Subfamily info
Noctuidae Taxa named by Jean Baptiste Boisduval Moth subfamilies {{Heliothinae-stub