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 subfamily botanical names with "-oideae", and zoologi ...

moths Moths are a paraphyletic group of insects that includes all members of the order Lepidoptera that are not butterflies, with moths making up the vast majority of the order. There are thought to be approximately 160,000 species of moth, many of w ...

in the family

Erebidae The Erebidae are a 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 underwings ('' Catocala'') ...

erected by

William Elford Leach William Elford Leach Royal Society, FRS (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 me ...

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 The term tribe is used in many different contexts to refer to a category of human social group. The predominant worldwide usage of the term in English is in the discipline of anthropology. This definition is c ...

). 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 Species description, formal descripti ...

''), which has the widest wingspan of all

Lepidoptera Lepidoptera ( ) is an order (biology), order of insects that includes butterfly, butterflies and moths (both are called lepidopterans). About 180,000 species of the Lepidoptera are described, in 126 Family (biology), families and 46 Taxonomic r ...

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

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

and

legume A legume () is a plant in the family Fabaceae (or Leguminosae), or the fruit or seed of such a plant. When used as a dry grain, the seed is also called a pulse. Legumes are grown agriculturally, primarily for human consumption, for livestock f ...

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 ...

sugarcane Sugarcane or sugar cane is a species of (often hybrid) 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 ...

rice Rice is the seed of the grass species ''Oryza sativa'' (Asian rice) or less commonly ''Oryza glaberrima ''Oryza glaberrima'', commonly known as African rice, is one of the two domesticated rice species. It was first domesticated and grown i ...

, as well as

pistachio The pistachio (, ''Pistacia vera''), a member of the cashew family, is a small tree originating from Central Asia and the Middle East. The tree produces seeds that are widely consumed as food. ''Pistacia vera'' is often confused with other sp ...

s and

blackberries The blackberry is an edible fruit produced by many species in the genus ''Rubus'' in the family Rosaceae, hybrids among these species within the subgenus ''Rubus'', and hybrids between the subgenera ''Rubus'' and ''Idaeobatus''. The taxonomy of ...

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 for any Lepidopteran superfamily. Its classification has not yet reached a satisfactory or stable st ...

, 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. They are considered the most controversial family in the superfamily Noctuoidea because many of the clades are constantly changing, along with the other f ...

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 bei ...

, 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 o ...

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 mouthparts used for feeding and sucking. In vertebrates, a proboscis is an elong ...

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 teenaged super villainess in the Marvel Universe * Ape-X, a super-intelligent ape in the Squadron Supreme universe *Apex ...

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 unambiguously describe the anatomy of animals, including humans. The terms, typically derived from Latin or Greek roots, describe something in its standard anatomical position. This position prov ...

, modified seventh

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

sternite The sternum (pl. "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 ...

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

copulatory Sexual intercourse (or coitus or copulation) is a sexual activity typically involving the insertion and thrusting of the penis into the vagina for sexual pleasure or reproduction.Sexual intercourse most commonly means penile–vaginal penetrat ...

opening). In the

larva A larva (; plural larvae ) is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into adults. Animals with indirect development such as insects, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase of their life cycle. The ...

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 projection ...

s on segment A8, and

pupa A pupa ( la, pupa, "doll"; plural: ''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 ...

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

Tribes

Acantholipini The Acantholipini are a tribe of moths in the family Erebidae. Genera *''Acantholipes ''Acantholipes'' is a genus of moths in the family Erebidae erected by Julius Lederer in 1857. Description Palpi obliquely upturned, where the second j ...

Audeini The Audeini are a tribe of moths in the family Erebidae. Taxonomy The tribe is most closely related to the tribe Catocalini, also within Erebinae The Erebinae are a subfamily of moths in the family Erebidae erected by William Elford Lea ...

* 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 *

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 The Erebinae are a subfamily of moths in the family Erebidae erected by William Elford ...

Erebini The Erebini are a tribe of moths in the family Erebidae. Genera *''Erebus In Greek mythology, Erebus (; grc, Ἔρεβος, Érebos, "deep darkness, shadow".), or Erebos, is the personification of darkness and one of the primordial deiti ...

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 ...

* Hypopyrini * Melipotini * Ommatophorini *

Omopterini The Omopterini are a 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 relatives of the ...

Ophiusini The Ophiusini are a tribe of moths in the family Erebidae. Taxonomy The tribe is one of the most successful of the major radiations of the subfamily Erebinae. The tribe was previously classified as the subtribe Ophiusina of the subfamily Catoca ...

Pandesmini The Pandesmini are a tribe (biology), tribe of moths in the family Erebidae. Genera *''Pandesma'' *''Polydesma'' References

Pandesmini, Erebinae Moth tribes {{Erebinae-stub ...

Pericymini The Pericymini are a tribe of moths in the family Erebidae. Genera *'' Pericyma'' *''Zethes The Boreads ( grc, Βορεάδαι, Boreádai) are the "wind brothers" in Greek mythology. They consist of Zetes (also Zethes) ( grc, Ζήτης) and ...

* Poaphilini *

Sypnini The Sypnini are a tribe of moths in the family Erebidae The Erebidae are a 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 macromot ...

*''

Incertae sedis ' () or ''problematica'' is a term used for a 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,

: '' Ugia transversa'' File:Audea hypostigmata.JPG,

: '' Audea hypostigmata'' File:Catephia alchymista.jpg, Catephiini: '' Catephia alchymista'' File:Catocala chelidonia uniforma.JPG,

: '' Catocala chelidonia'' File:Cocytia Durvillei.jpg, Cocytiini: '' Cocytia durvillii'' File:Ercheia multilinea.jpg,

: '' Ercheia multilinea'' File:Erebus Macrops.jpg,

: ''

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

'' 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 it is known as ''piirtoyökkönen'' and in German a ...

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

: '' Hulodes caranea'' File:Hypopyra capensis (13890401290).jpg, Hypopyrini: '' Hypopyra capensis'' File:- 8591 – Phoberia atomaris – Common Oak Moth (17082063132).jpg, Melipotini: '' Phoberia atomaris'' File:瞳夜蛾 Ommatophora luminosa (Cramer,1780) (10239537663).jpg, Ommatophorini: '' Ommatophora luminosa'' File:Zale lunata – Lunate Zale Moth (14659256598).jpg,

: ''

Zale lunata ''Zale lunata'', the lunate zale, is a moth of the family Erebidae. The species was first described by Dru Drury in 1773. It is found throughout the east and west of North America. The wingspan is 40–55 mm. The moth flies from year round d ...

'' File:Ophiusa discriminans female dorsal.jpg,

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

Pandesmini The Pandesmini are a tribe (biology), tribe of moths in the family Erebidae. Genera *''Pandesma'' *''Polydesma'' References

Pandesmini, Erebinae Moth tribes {{Erebinae-stub ...

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

: '' Pericyma mendax'' File:Dysgonia algira.jpg, Poaphilini: '' Dysgonia algira'' File:Pterocyclophora huntei - Leyte - Philippines - 06-2010 (8372567909).jpg,

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

: ''

Thysania zenobia ''Thysania zenobia'', the owl moth, is a species of moth in the family Erebidae. The species was first described by Pieter Cramer in 1776, and is native to North and South America and the Caribbean. Description Upperside: Antennae setaceous a ...

'' Genera with tribe not available: * ''

Honeyia ''Honeyia'' is a genus of moths of the family Erebidae. The genus was erected by Hermann Heinrich Hacker and Michael Fibiger in 2007. Species *''Honeyia burmeisteri'' Hacker & Fibiger, 2007 *''Honeyia clearchus'' (Fawcett, 1916) *''Honeyia dia ...

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 Infras ...

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