Heliothinae

Heliothinae
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Hexapoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
(unranked): Macrolepidoptera
Superfamily: Noctuoidea
Family: Noctuidae
Subfamily: Heliothinae
Boisduval, 1828
Genera

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).

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

Selected former genera

External links