Heliothinae

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.

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

Chloridea virescens larva

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