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 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, of which the larvae feed on only a limited range of plants, and polyphagous generalist species.
The subfamily contains several agricultural pests, including Helicoverpa armigera, Helicoverpa assulta, Helicoverpa zea, Helicoverpa punctigera and Heliothis virescens.
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. 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.