Heliothinae
| Heliothinae | |
|---|---|
| |
| Heliothis peltigera | |
Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Superfamily: | Noctuoidea |
| Family: | Noctuidae |
| Subfamily: | Heliothinae Boisduval, 1828 |
| Genera | |
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See text | |
Heliothinae is a small subfamily of moths in the family Noctuidae. There are about 400 species described worldwide. They are found predominantly in semiarid subtropical habitats.
Taxonomy
The subfamily has been studied extensively. Important works include studies by Hardwick (1965 and 1970) and Matthews (1988).
Location
These species thrive in hot, dry regions of the world (Mitter). They are very common in Australia, sections of Asia, the southwest region of the United States, and the majority of Africa (Matov).
Characteristics
The most reliable characters defining the subfamily are in the larvae (Hardwick and Matthews). These have a spiny skin and a transverse arrangement of L1 and L2 setae on the prothorax.
Features of the adults which are more or less exclusive to this subfamily are the male genitalia which have an elongate, strap-like valve with a simple corona in conjunction with an aedeagus vesica that is often spiralled and tending to have isolated or small clusters of cornuti (Hardwick, 1970).
Food plants
The subfamily includes a number of serious crop pests.
Along with the Stiriinae, most of the members of this subfamily are flower and seed feeders (Matthews, 1988).
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 Hübner, 1818
- Stenoecia Warren, 1911
- Timora Walker, 1856
Selected former genera
- Erythroecia Hampson, 1910
- Masalia 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. doi:10.1111/j.1365-3113.2008.00427.x
- ICZN 1985: Opinion 1312. Heliothis Ochsenheimer, 1816 (Insecta: Lepidoptera): gender and stem designated. Bulletin of zoological nomenclature, 42: 158-159. ISSN 0007-5167 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. doi:10.3897/zookeys.40.414
Mitter, et al., (1993, January). Biosystematics of the Heliothinae (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae).
Matov, A. (2008, January). The Heliothinae of Iran (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae).
External links
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