Kingdom Animalia Superfamily Noctuoidea Phylum Arthropoda Order Butterflies and moths | Subphylum Hexapoda Rank Subfamily Higher classification Noctuidae | |
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Similar Noctuidae, Butterflies and moths, Acontiinae, Insect, Cuculliinae | ||
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.
Contents
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
The subfamily includes the following genera: