Noctuidae (Family)

Overview

The Noctuidae or Owlet moths are a family of robustly-built that includes more than 35,000 known species out of possibly 100,000 total, in more than 4,200 genera. They constitute the largest family in the Lepidoptera.

Their distribution is worldwide with about 1,450 species found in Europe ^1] ^[2] ^[3]

Most have drab forewings, although some have brightly colored hindwings. There are usually few differences between the sexes. The overwhelming majority of noctuids fly at night and are almost invariably strongly attracted to light. Many are also attracted to sugar and nectar-rich flowers.

Some of the family are preyed upon by bats. However, many Noctuidae species have tiny organs in their ears which responds to bat echolocation calls, sending their wing muscles into spasm and causing the moths to dart erratically. This aids the moths in evading the bats.

Several species have larvae (caterpillars) that live in the soil and are agricultural or horticultural pests. These are the "cutworms" that eat the bases of young brassicas and lettuces. They form hard, shiny pupae. Most noctuid larvae feed at night, resting in the soil or in a crevice in its food plant during the day.

The Noctuidae are also remarkable for containing an extraordinary number of species whose caterpillars are able to feed on certain poisonous plants without harm. These foodplants - namely Solanaceae (e.g. Nicotiana) and Fabaceae (e.g. Sophora) - contain chemicals that would kill most insects trying to feed on them.

Systematics

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Division int o subfamilies, and the number of subfamilies is unsatisfactory and varies somewhat in various taxonomical systems. Several moth genera are not yet robustly assigned to subfamilies:

Anaphela
Axiopoeniella
Calpoparia
Carpostalagma
Galtarodes
Grammarctia
Laelapia
Macrobarasa
Parasoloe
Phaegorista
Plectothripa
Procanthia
Proschaliphora
Soloe
Soloella
Talhoukia

However recent molecular studies ^[4] ^[5] have shown that the family Noctuidae is paraphyletic. The subfamily Plusiinae should be raised to family status. The Noctuidae sensu stricto should be confined to trifines. The quadrifid noctuid subfamilies are paraphyletic (or perhaps polyphyletic) and should be grouped in a clade with the Arctiidae and Lymantriidae. The terms trifid and quadrifid refer to the number of veins from the lower part of the hindwing midcell.

See list of noctuid genera.

Example Species

Acronictinae

Acronicta aceris (The Sycamore)
Acronicta leporina (The Miller)
Acronicta psi (Grey Dagger)
Cryphia domestica (Marbled Beauty)

Amphipyrinae

Amphipyra pyramidea (Copper Underwing)
Amphipyra tragopoginis (Mouse Moth)
Spodoptera cilium (Dark Mottled Willow, Lawn Caterpillar or Grasslawn Armyworm)
Spodoptera exempta (African Armyworm)

Catocalinae

Catocala aholibah (Aholibah Underwing)
Catocala nupta (Red Underwing)

Cuculliinae

Cucullia umbratica (The Shark)

Hadeninae

Discestra trifolii (The Nutmeg)
Mamestra brassicae (Cabbage Moth)
Melanchra persicariae (Dot Moth)
Lacanobia oleracea (Bright-line Brown-eye)
Hecatera bicolorata (Broad-barred White)
Hadena bicruris (The Lychnis)
Cerapteryx graminis (Antler Moth)
Panolis flammea (Pine Beauty)
Orthosia cerasi (Common Quaker)
Orthosia gothica (Hebrew Character)
Mythimna ferrago (The Clay)
Mythimna impura (Smoky Wainscot)

Heliothinae

Helicoverpa zea (Cotton Bollworm)
Schinia varix

Ipimorphinae

Cosmia trapezina (The Dun-bar)
Apamea crenata (Clouded-bordered Brindle)
Apamea sordens (Rustic Shoulder-knot)
Brachylomia viminalis (Minor Shoulder-knot)
Aporophyla lueneburgensis (Northern Deep-brown Dart)
Antitype chi (Grey Chi)
Eupsilia transversa (The Satellite)
Agrochola circellaris (The Brick)
Thalpophila matura (Straw Underwing)
Euplexia lucipara (Small Angle Shades)
Phlogophora meticulosa (Angle Shades)

Noctuinae

Noctua pronuba (Large Yellow Underwing)
Eugnorisma glareosa (Autumnal Rustic)
Lycophotia porphyrea (True Lover's Knot)
Diarsia mendica (Ingrailed Clay)
Xestia c-nigrum (Setaceous Hebrew Character)
Xestia triangulum (Double Square-spot)
Xestia sexstrigata (Six-striped Rustic)
Xestia xanthographa (Square-spot Rustic)
Naenia typica (The Gothic)
Euxoa nigricans (Garden Dart)
Agrotis infusa (Bogong Moth)
Agrotis segetum (Turnip Moth)
Agrotis clavis (Heart and Club)
Agrotis exclamationis (Heart and Dart)
Ochropleura plecta (Flame Shoulder)
Abrostola tripartita (Spectacle)

Plusiinae

Autographa gamma (Silver Y)

Additional examples:

Apina callisto (Pasture Day Moth)
Axylia putris (The Flame)
Omphaloscelis lunosa (Lunar Underwing)
Ascalapha odorata (Black Witch moth)
Thysania agrippina (White Witch moth)

Photos

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Taxonomy

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The Family Noctuidae is a member of the Superfamily Noctuoidea. Here is the complete "parentage" of Noctuidae:

Domain: Eukaryota Whittaker & Margulis,1978 - eukaryotes
- Kingdom: Animalia Linnaeus, 1758 - animals
  - Subkingdom: Bilateria (Hatschek, 1888) Cavalier-Smith, 1983 - bilaterians
    - Branch: Protostomia Grobben, 1908 - protostomes
      - Infrakingdom: Ecdysozoa Aguinaldo Et Al., 1997 Ex Cavalier-Smith, 1998 - ecdysozoans
        Superphylum: Panarthropoda Cuvier
        Phylum: Arthropoda Latreille, 1829 - Arthropods
        Subphylum: Mandibulata Snodgrass, 1938
        Infraphylum: Atelocerata Heymons, 1901
        Superclass: Panhexapoda
        Class: Insecta C. Linnaeus, 1758 - Insects
        Subclass: Dicondylia
        Infraclass: Pterygota - Winged Insects
        Cohort: Myoglossata
        Superorder: Amphiesmenoptera
        Order: Lepidoptera Linnaeus, 1758 - Butterflies and Moths
        Infraorder: Heteroneura - a genus of Longhorned Beetles (Cerambycidae)
        Superfamily: Noctuoidea
        Family: Noctuidae - Owlet Moths

The Family Noctuidae is further organized into finer groupings including:

Subfamily (23): Acontiinae · Acronictinae · Agaristinae · Amphipyrinae · Bagisarinae · Catocalinae · Cuculliinae · Eustrotiinae · Euteliinae · Hadeninae · Heliconiinae · Heliothentinae · Hypeninae · Hypenodinae · Noctuinae · Nolinae · Pantheinae · Plusiinae · Psaphidinae · Pyrginae · Sarrothripinae · Stiriinae · Xyleninae
Tribe (1): Bombini
Genus (622): Abagrotis · Abrostola · Acadia · Acanthoplusia · Acerra · Achaea · Achatia · Achatodes · Acherdoa · Achytonix · Acontia · Acrobyla · Acronicta · Acronycta · Actebia · Adelphagrotis · Adita · Admetovis · Adrapsa · Aeria · Aetheria · Agape · Agnorisma · Agriopodes · Agrochola · Agroperina · Agrotis · Albocosta · Aletia · Allagrapha · Alypia · Alypiodes · Amathes · Amiana · Amolita · Amphipoea · Amphipyra · Amyna · Anagrapha · Anania · Anapamea · Anaplectoides · Anarta · Anartomima · Anathix · Androloma · Andropolia · Anepia · Anhimella · Anicla · Anita · Annaphila · Anodontodes · Anomis · Anomogyna · Anorthoa · Anorthodes · Antarchaea · Anterastria · Antoculeora · Anuga · Apamea · Apatele · Apharetra · Aplectoides · Aplotelia · Apterogenum · Araeopteron · Archanara · Argyrogramma · Aseptis · Astrapetis · Atacira · Athetis · Autographa · Azenia · Bagada · Bagisara · Baileya · Balsa · Basilodes · Behounekia · Behrensia · Belciana · Bellura · Biston · Blasticorhinus · Blepharita · Bochus · Bombotelia · Borsippa · Brachylomia · Bracon · Brevipecten · Bryolymnia · Bryophila · Byromoia · Caduca · Callierges · Callopistria · Calogramma · Calophasia · Caloplusia · Calotaenia · Calpe · Calymnia · Capis · Capnodes · Caradrina · Caranilla · Cardepia · Catabena · Catada · Catocala · Celaena · Cerapteryx · Cerastis · Cerathosia · Cerma · Chaetaglaea · Chalconyx · Chalcopasta · Chamaeclea · Characta · Charadra · Chasmina · Chazaria · Checupa · Chersotis · Chloantha · Choephora · Chorizagrotis · Chortodes · Chrysanympha · Chrysaspidia · Chytonix · Cirrhia · Cirrhophanus · Clavipalapula · Clavipalpura · Cleoceris · Cloantha · Cobubatha · Coenipeta · Coenophila · Collomena · Colocasia · Condica · Conochares · Conservula · Contexta · Copablepharon · Copanarta · Copicucullia · Copivaleria · Coranarta · Coremagnatha · Cosdinoscera · Cosmia · Cosmophila · Crambodes · Craniophora · Crassivesica · Cretonia · Crocigrapha · Crymodes · Cryphia · Crypsedra · Cryptocala · Ctenoplusia · Ctenostola · Cucullia · Cyclopis · Cydosia · Dargida · Dasycampa · Deltote · Denticucullus · Derrima · Devia · Diachrysia · Dianthoecia · Diarsia · Diastema · Dichagyris · Dictyestra · Dimorphicosmia · Dinorphicosmia · Diomea · Dioszeghyana · Diphtherocome · Diphtherocone · Dipterygina · Dipthera · Discestra · Donda · Draudtia · Dryobotodes · Dypterygia · Dysaletia · Dysgonia · Egira · Eigra · Elaphria · Eldana · Elwesia · Emargia · Emarginea · Emmelia · Enargia · Engelhardtia · Enterpia · Eosphoropteryx · Ephesia · Epiglaea · Epimorpha · Epipaschia · Epipsammia · Epizuexis · Erebus · Eremobastis · Eremobina · Eremodrina · Eremohadena · Eriopyga · Erythroecia · Esmeralda · Euagrotis · Euamiana · Eublemma · Eucirroedia · Euclidimera · Eucoptocnemis · Eudryas · Eueretagrotis · Eugnorisma · Eugraphe · Eumicremma · Euplexia · Eupsilia · Eurois · Euscirrhopterus · Eutolype · Eutricopis · Euxoa · Exophila · Exyra · Fagitana · Falx · Faronta · Feliniopsis · Feltia · Feralia · Fodina · Franclemontia · Furcifera · Furcilla · Galgula · Gamma · Gaurenopsis · Gerra · Gerrodes · Glabella · Glossodice · Gonepatica · Gonospileia · Gortyna · Graphiphora · Griposia · Grotella · Hada · Hadena · Hadenella · Hadula · Hapalotis · Harricimemna · Harrisimemna · Hasta · Hecatera · Heliocheilus · Heliolonche · Heliophobus · Heliothis · Heliothodes · Helotropha · Hemieuxoa · Hemiglaea · Hemigraphiphora · Hemipachnobia · Hemipsectra · Hemispragueia · Hepatica · Heptagrotis · Herminodes · Hermonassa · Hexorthodes · Himella · Homoglaea · Homohadena · Homophoberia · Homorthodes · Honeyania · Hyalobole · Hyboma · Hydraecia · Hydroecia · Hydroeciodes · Hylonycta · Hypena · Hypenodes · Hyperepia · Hyperlophoides · Hyperstrotia · Hypersypnoides · Hypospila · Hyppa · Idia · Imosca · Impleta · Iodopepla · Ipimorpha · Itomia · Jocheaera · Johanssonia · Koyaga · Lacanobia · Lacinipolia · Laphygma · Lasiestra · Lasionycta · Lateroligia · Lemmeria · Lepipolys · Leptologia · Lethe · Leucania · Leucapamea · Leuconycta · Lichnoptera · Linda · Lineostriastiria · Lithacodia · Litholomia · Lithophane · Lithopolia · Litoligia · Loda · Longalatedes · Lophoceramica · Lophonycta · Lophoptera · Lorea · Loxagrotis · Luperina · Lutosa · Lycophotia · Lygephila · Lythrodes · Macrochilo · Macronoctua · Magusa · Maliattha · Mamestra · Manruta · Marilopteryx · Mazacyla · Megalographa · Meganephria · Meganola · Melanchra · Melanopis · Mentaxya · Merolonche · Meropleon · Mesapamea · Mesembragrotis · Mesogona · Metalepsis · Metaponpneumata · Metaxaglaea · Methorasa · Miaromima · Micrathetis · Microhelia · Microxyla · Mimobarathra · Miodera · Miracavira · Miranda · Miselia · Mniotype · Mocis · Moreno · Morrisonia · Mythimna · Mythumna · Naganoella · Nagara · Napaea · Narangodes · Narcotica · Nebula · Nedra · Neleucania · Neoligia · Neotuerta · Nephelodes · Neumoegenia · Neustrotia · Nimbus · Niphonyx · Noctua · Nola · Nonagria · Nyctycia · Ochrogaster · Ochropleura · Odice · Ogdoconta · Oglasa · Oligia · Oligonyx · Olulis · Ommatochila · Ommatostola · Oncocnemis · Onychagrotis · Opacifrons · Ophiogramma · Ophiusa · Opsigalea · Orrhodia · Orthodes · Orthosea · Orthosia · Orthozona · Oruza · Oslaria · Oxycnemis · Oxyodes · Oxytripia · Ozarba · Pabulatrix · Pachypolia · Palluperina · Pamparama · Panilla · Panolis · Panthea · Papaipema · Papestra · Parabagrotis · Parabola · Paracolax · Paradiarsia · Parahypenodes · Paramiana · Parapamea · Parastichtis · Paratrachea · Pechipoga · Peridroma · Perigea · Perigonica · Perigrapha · Periphanes · Periscepta · Phaea · Phalga · Phlogophora · Phosphila · Phragmatiphila · Phyllophora · Phytometra · Plagiomimicus · Plataplecta · Platyja · Platyperigea · Platypolia · Platysenta · Plebeia · Pleromelloida · Plusia · Plusiodonta · Polia · Poliobrya · Polychrysia · Polygrammate · Ponometia · Potnyctycia · Proagrotis · Prodotis · Pronoctua · Pronuba · Properigea · Propodea · Protagrotis · Proteinania · Protexarnis · Protodeltote · Protogygia · Protolampra · Protoperigea · Protorthodes · Proxenus · Psaphida · Psectraglaea · Pseudaletia · Pseudanarta · Pseudargyria · Pseudeustrotia · Pseudeva · Pseudobryomima · Pseudodeltote · Pseudohermonassa · Pseudoleucania · Pseudoplusia · Pseudorthodes · Pseudorthosia · Psychomorpha · Pyreferra · Pyrocleptria · Pyrrhia · Pyrrhidivalva · Rachiplusia · Rancora · Raphia · Rhizedra · Rhodoecia · Rhosologia · Rhyacia · Rhynchagrotis · Richia · Rictonis · Risoba · Rivula · Sapporia · Sarcopolia · Scedopla · Schinia · Scoparia · Scopelosoma · Scotogramma · Selicanis · Sericaglaea · Sesamia · Setagrotis · Shargacucullia · Sideridis · Simyra · Spaelotis · Sparkia · Spartiniphaga · Speidelia · Speiredonia · Spiramater · Spodoptera · Spragueia · Stenoloba · Stibadium · Stibaera · Stiria · Stiriodes · Stretchia · Stylopoda · Sunira · Sutyna · Sympistis · Syngrapha · Synorthodes · Sypnoides · Tacoma · Taeniocampa · Tarachidia · Targalla · Teratophora · Tetragona · Tetraphora · Thalpophila · Therasea · Thioptera · Tholera · Thurberiphaga · Tiliacea · Tisagronia · Tmetolophota · Trachea · Trichagrotis · Trichoclea · Trichocosmia · Trichofeltia · Tricholita · Trichophisia · Trichoplusia · Trichopolia · Trichordestra · Trichorthosia · Trichosilia · Tridepia · Triocnemis · Triphaena · Tripudia · Trudestra · Ufeus · Uganda · Ulolonche · Uraba · Ursogastra · Viatica · Vietteania · Viminia · Xanthia · Xanthodes · Xanthopastis · Xerociris · Xestia · Xylena · Xylotype · Xystopeplus · Zanclognatha · Zosteropoda · Zotheca
Species: ZipcodeZoo has pages for 16,849 species and subspecies in the Family Noctuidae.

Noctuidae

Overview

Systematics

Example Species

Photos

Taxonomy

Genera

Abagrotis

Abrostola

Acadia

Acanthoplusia

Acerra

Achaea

Achatia

Achatodes

Acherdoa

Achytonix

Acontia

Acrobyla

Acronicta

Acronycta

Actebia

Adelphagrotis

Adita

Admetovis

Adrapsa

Aeria

Aetheria

Agape

Agnorisma

Agriopodes

Agrochola

Agroperina

Agrotis

Albocosta

Aletia

Allagrapha

Alypia

Alypiodes

Amathes

Amiana

Amolita

Amphipoea

Amphipyra

Amyna

Anagrapha

Anania

Anapamea

Anaplectoides

Anarta

Anartomima

Anathix

Androloma

Andropolia

Anepia

Anhimella

Anicla

Anita

Annaphila

Anodontodes

Anomis

Anomogyna

Anorthoa

Anorthodes

Antarchaea

Anterastria

Antoculeora

Anuga

Apamea

Apatele

Apharetra

Aplectoides

Aplotelia

Apterogenum

Araeopteron

Archanara

Argyrogramma

Aseptis

Astrapetis

Atacira