Heliothinae

Heliothinae
	Heliothis peltigera
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Superfamily:	Noctuoidea
Family:	Noctuidae
Subfamily:	Heliothinae ; Boisduval, 1828
Genera
	See text

Last updated June 29, 2025

Heliothinae is a small, cosmopolitan subfamily of moths in the family Noctuidae, with about 400 described species worldwide. It includes a number of economically significant agricultural pest species, such as Helicoverpa armigera and Helicoverpa zea .

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^[1] subfamily of around 400 species.^[2] Its species thrive in hot, dry regions of the world,^[1] 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.^[2]

Larvae

The subfamily includes both specialist species, of which the larvae feed on only a limited range of plants, and polyphagous generalist species.^[3]

The subfamily contains several agricultural pests, including Helicoverpa armigera , Helicoverpa assulta , Helicoverpa zea , Helicoverpa punctigera and Heliothis virescens .^[3]

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 (now included in Heliocheilus )
Thyreion Smith, 1891

References

1 2 Mitter, Charles; Poole, Robert W.; Matthews, Marcus (January 1993). "Biosystematics of the Heliothinae (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)" . Annual Review of Entomology. 38: 207–225. doi:10.1146/annurev.en.38.010193.001231 . Retrieved 22 July 2022.
1 2 Matov, Alexej; Zahiri, Reza; Holloway, Jeremy D. (5 May 2008). "The Heliothinae of Iran (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)". Zootaxa. 1763 (1): 1. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.1763.1.1 . Retrieved 24 July 2022.
1 2 Cunningham, John Paul; Zalucki, Myron P. (1 June 2014). "Understanding Heliothine (Lepidoptera: Heliothinae) Pests: What is a Host Plant?". Journal of Economic Entomology. 107 (3): 881–896. doi: 10.1603/ec14036 . PMID 25026644.

External links

Subfamily info

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[Mitter-1] 1 2 Mitter, Charles; Poole, Robert W.; Matthews, Marcus (January 1993). "Biosystematics of the Heliothinae (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)" . Annual Review of Entomology. 38: 207–225. doi:10.1146/annurev.en.38.010193.001231 . Retrieved 22 July 2022.

[Matov-2] 1 2 Matov, Alexej; Zahiri, Reza; Holloway, Jeremy D. (5 May 2008). "The Heliothinae of Iran (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)". Zootaxa. 1763 (1): 1. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.1763.1.1 . Retrieved 24 July 2022.

[Cunningham-3] 1 2 Cunningham, John Paul; Zalucki, Myron P. (1 June 2014). "Understanding Heliothine (Lepidoptera: Heliothinae) Pests: What is a Host Plant?". Journal of Economic Entomology. 107 (3): 881–896. doi: 10.1603/ec14036 . PMID 25026644.

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