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

moth 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 ...

s in the

family Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...

Noctuidae 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 ...

, 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. Since it is polyphagous (feeds on many ...

''.

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 env ...

, of which the larvae feed on only a limited range of plants, and polyphagous generalist species. The subfamily contains several

agricultural pest A pest is any animal or plant harmful to humans or human concerns. The term is particularly used for creatures that damage crops, livestock, and forestry or cause a nuisance to people, especially in their homes. Humans have modified the environ ...

s, including '' Helicoverpa armigera'', ''

Helicoverpa assulta ''Helicoverpa assulta'', the oriental tobacco budworm, is a moth of the family Noctuidae. ''H. assulta'' adults are migratory and are found all over the Old World Tropics including Asia, Africa, and Australia. This species has a brown coloured ...

'', ''

Helicoverpa punctigera ''Helicoverpa punctigera'', the native budworm, Australian bollworm or ''Chloridea marmada'', is a species of moth in the family Noctuidae. This species is native to Australia. ''H. punctigera'' are capable of long distance migration from their i ...

'' and ''

Heliothis virescens ''Chloridea virescens'', commonly known as the tobacco budworm, is a moth of the family Noctuidae found throughout the eastern and southwestern United States along with parts of Central America and South America. It is a major pest of field cro ...

''.

Genera

The subfamily includes the following genera: * '' Adisura'' Moore, 1881 * '' Aedophron'' Lederer, 1857 * ''

Australothis ''Australothis'' is a genus of moth 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 approximat ...

'' Matthews, 1991 * '' Baptarma'' Smith, 1904 * ''

Chloridea ''Chloridea'' is a genus of owlet moths in the family Noctuidae. There are at least three described species in ''Chloridea''. The species of ''Chloridea'' were formerly members of the genus ''Heliothis'', but were moved to ''Chloridea'' when i ...

'' Duncan & Westwood, 1841 * '' Chazaria'' Moore, 1881 * '' Derrima'' Walker, 1858 * '' Eutricopis'' Morrison, 1875 * ''

Hebdomochondra ''Hebdomochondra'' is a genus of moth 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 approxim ...

'' Staudinger, 1879 * ''

Helicoverpa ''Helicoverpa'' is a genus of moths in the family Noctuidae first described by David F. Hardwick in 1965. Some species are among the worst Lepidopteran agricultural pests in the world, and three species (''H. armigera'', ''H. zea'', and ''H. pu ...

'' Hardwick, 1965 * ''

Heliocheilus ''Heliocheilus'' is a genus of moths of the family Noctuidae. Former synonyms include ''Canthylidia'' (Butler, 1886). Species * '' Heliocheilus abaccheutus'' Matthews, 1999 * '' Heliocheilus aberrans'' (Butler, 1886) * ''Heliocheilus albipunct ...

'' Grote, 1865 * ''

Heliolonche ''Heliolonche'' is a genus of moth 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 approximate ...

'' Grote, 1873 * ''

Heliothis ''Heliothis'' is a genus of moths in the family Noctuidae. It was first described by Ferdinand Ochsenheimer in 1816. Some of the species have larvae which are agricultural pests on crop species such as tobacco, cotton, soybean and pigeon pea. S ...

'' Ochsenheimer, 1816 * ''

Heliothodes ''Heliothodes'' is a genus of moth 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 approximate ...

'' Hampson, 1910 * ''

Melaporphyria ''Melaporphyria'' is a genus of moth 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 approxima ...

'' Grote, 1874 * ''

Micriantha ''Micriantha'' is a genus of moth 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 approximatel ...

'' Hampson, 1908 * ''

Microhelia ''Microhelia'' is a genus of moth 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 approximat ...

'' 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 genus has a Holarctic The Holarctic realm is a biogeographic realm that comprises the majority of habitats found throughout the contine ...

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

Selected former genera

* '' Erythroecia'' Hampson, 1910 * ''

Masalia ''Masalia'' was a genus of moths of the family Noctuidae. It is now considered to be a subgenus of ''Heliothis''. Selected species *'' Heliothis albida'' (Hampson, 1905) *'' Heliothis philbyi'' (Brandt, 1941) *'' Heliothis perstriata'' (Brandt ...

'' Moore, 1881 * '' 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 {{Heliothinae-stub