Noctuoidea is the superfamily of noctuid (Latin "night owl") or "owlet" moths, and has more than 70,000 described species, the largest number of any Lepidopteran superfamily. Its classification has not yet reached a satisfactory or stable state. Since the end of the 20th century, increasing availability of molecular phylogenetic data for this hugely successful radiation has led to several competing proposals for a taxonomic arrangement that correctly represents the relationships between the major lineages.
Briefly, the disputes center on the fact that in old treatments (which were just as unable to reach a general consensus) the distinctness of some groups, such as the Arctiinae or Lymantriidae, was overrated due to their characteristic appearance, while some less-studied lineages conventionally held to be Noctuidae are in fact quite distinct. This requires a rearrangement at least of the latter family (by simply including anything disputed within it). This is quite unwieldy, and various more refined treatments have been proposed in response to it. While there is general agreement on what the basal families of Noctuoidea are, the more diverse advanced group may be treated as one all-encompassing Noctuidae, two huge and two smaller, or even (if Arctiinae or Lymantriidae are kept distinct) more than four families, which are in some cases still quite sizeable.
Recent developments There are several recent studies suggesting a radical change in the traditional family level classification. Recent works in redefining the families within the Noctuoidea has been carried out by Kitching (1984), Poole (1995), Kitching and Rawlins , Speidel et al. (1996), Mitchell et al. (1997, 2000, 2006), Fibiger and Lafontaine (2005), Lafontaine and Fibiger (2006), Zahiri et al. (2010), Kobayashi & Nonaka (2016), and Zahiri et al. (2023).
The Noctuoidea can be divided into two broad groups, those with a trifid forewing venation (Oenosandridae, and Notodontidae), and those with a quadrifid forewing venation (e.g., Arctiinae, Lymantriidae, Nolidae, Noctuidae). What has emerged from these investigations is that the quadrifid Noctuoidea form a monophyletic group. In 2005, Fibiger and Lafontaine arranged the quadrifid (forewing) group into several families, including the quadrifine (hindwing) Erebidae and trifine (hindwing) Noctuidae, based on evidence that suggested that the trifine noctuid subfamilies were derived from within the quadrifine subfamilies, so the family Erebidae would not be strictly monophyletic.
Lafontaine and Fibiger in 2006 then redefined the Noctuidae to include the entire quadrifid group, believing the Arctiinae, Lymantriidae, and Nolidae to be derived from within this expanded concept of Noctuidae (and closely related to the subfamily Catocalinae). In essence, groups such as the Arctiinae, which had previously been treated as a separate family, were more closely related to groups within the Noctuidae than to non-noctuid families. In order to address this, a revised classification would have meant either recognizing over 20 (often weakly defined) families, or a single well-defined family with numerous subfamilies. The latter was adopted (Lafontaine and Fibiger 2006).
More recent evidence from nuclear genes (Zahiri et al. 2010) confirms that the quadrifid (forewing) noctuoids form a monophyletic group, but also that this group can be further arranged into four monophyletic subgroups: 1) the quadrifine subfamilies; 2) the trifine subfamilies; 3) the Nolinae; and 4) the Euteliinae. Considering the massive size of the family, and the large number of subfamilies, tribes, and subtribes to arrange into a classification, Zahiri et al. (2010) chose the option of recognizing these four groups as families, namely Erebidae, Noctuidae, Nolidae, and Euteliidae, in addition to the basal trifid families.
Subsequent research has largely followed suit, with refinements such as the exclusion of Doidae from the superfamily, and the addition of a new family, Scranciidae.
Systematics This largely follows the work of Zahiri and colleagues and references cited therein, plus Kobayashi & Nonaka (2016) Hideki Kobayashi & Masaru Nonaka (2016) Molecular phylogeny of the Notodontidae: Subfamilies inferred from 28S rRNA sequences (Lepidoptera, Noctuoidea, Notodontidae). Tinea 23, suppl. 1: 1–83 for groupings within Notodontidae. Note that the placement of Arctiinae, Erebidae, Euteliidae, Lymantriinae, and Nolidae as groups within Noctuidae has been largely rejected by recent authors, and that former families such as Dilobidae, Micronoctuidae, and Thyretidae are no longer recognized at ranks above subfamily, while Doidae is placed in the superfamily Drepanoidea.
Family Erebidae Leach, 1815 Subfamily Aganainae Boisduval, 1833 Subfamily Anobinae Holloway, 2005 Subfamily Arctiinae Leach, 1815) Tribe Arctiini Leach, 1815 Subtribe Arctiina Leach, 1815 Subtribe Callimorphina Walker, 1865 (incl. Nyctemerina) Subtribe Ctenuchina Kirby, 1837 Subtribe Euchromiina Butler, 1876 Subtribe Pericopina Walker, 1865 Subtribe Phaegopterina Kirby, 1892 Tribe Lithosiini Billberg, 1820 Tribe Syntomini Herrich-Schäffer, 1846 (inc. Thyretidae) Subfamily Boletobiinae Grote, 1895 (incl. Araeopteroninae, Aventiinae, Eublemminae, Phytometrinae) Subfamily Calpinae Boisduval, 1840 Tribe Calpini Boisduval, 1840 Tribe Phyllodini Guenée, 1852 Subfamily Erebinae Leach, 1815 Tribe Acantholipini Fibiger & Lafontaine, 2005 Tribe Anydrophilini Wiltshire, 1976 Tribe Arytrurini Fibiger & Lafontaine, 2005 Tribe Audeini Wiltshire, 1976 Tribe Catephiini Guenée, 1852 Tribe Catocalini Boisduval, 1828 Tribe Cocytiini Boisduval, 1874 Tribe Ctenusini Berio, 1992 Tribe Ercheiini Berio, 1992 Tribe Erebini Leach, 1815 Tribe Euclidiini Guenée, 1852 Tribe Hulodini Guenée, 1852 (= Speiredoniinae Swinhoe, 1900) Tribe Hypopyrini Guenée, 1852 Tribe Melipotini Grote, 1895 Tribe Ommatophorini Guenée, 1852 Tribe Omopterini Boisduval, 1833 Tribe Ophiusini Guenée, 1837 Tribe Pandesmini Kühne & Speidel, 2004 Tribe Panopodini Forbes, 1954 Tribe Pericymini Wiltshire, 1976 Tribe Poaphilini Guenée, 1852 Tribe Scodionyxini Wiltshire, 1976 Tribe Sypnini Holloway, 2005 Tribe Thermesiini Guenée, 1852 Subfamily Eulepidotinae Grote, 1895 Subfamily Herminiinae Leach, 1815 Subfamily Hypeninae Herrich-Schäffer, 1851 Subfamily Hypenodinae Forbes, 1954 (incl. Micronoctuidae) Subfamily Hypocalinae Guenée, 1852 Subfamily Lymantriinae Hampson, 1893 Tribe Arctornithini Holloway, 1999 Tribe Leucomini Grote, 1895 Tribe Lymantriini Hampson, 1893 Tribe Nygmiini Holloway, 1999 Tribe Orgyiini Wallengren, 1861 Subfamily Pangraptinae Grote, 1882 Subfamily Rivulinae Grote, 1895 Subfamily Scolecocampinae Grote, 1883 Subfamily Scoliopyteryginae Herrich-Schäffer, 1852 Tribe Anomini Grote, 1882 Tribe Scoliopyterygini Herrich-Schäffer, 1852 Subfamily Tinolinae Moore, 1885 Subfamily Toxocampinae Guenée, 1852 Family Euteliidae Grote, 1882 Subfamily Euteliinae Grote, 1882 Subfamily Stictopterinae Hampson, 1894 Family Noctuidae Latreille, 1809 Subfamily Acontiinae Guenée, 1841 Tribe Acontiini Guenée, 1841 Tribe Aediini Beck, 1960 Tribe Armadini Wiltshire, 1961 Tribe Hypercalymniini Fibiger & Lafontaine, 2005 Subfamily Acronictinae Heinemann, 1859 (incl. Lophonyctinae, Sinocharinae) Subfamily Agaristinae Herrich-Schäffer, 1858 Subfamily Amphipyrinae Guenée, 1837 Subfamily Bagisarinae Crumb, 1956 Tribe Bagisarini Crumb, 1956 Tribe Cydosiini Kitching & Rawlins, 1998 Subfamily Balsinae Grote, 1896 Subfamily Bryophilinae Guenée, 1852 Subfamily Condicinae Poole, 1995 Tribe Condicini Poole, 1995 Tribe Leuconyctini Poole, 1995 Subfamily Cuculliinae Herrich-Schäffer, 1850 Subfamily Dilobinae Aurivillius, 1889 Subfamily Eriopinae Herrich-Schäffer, 1851 Subfamily Eucocytiinae Hampson, 1918 Subfamily Eustrotiinae Grote, 1882 Subfamily Hadeninae Guenée, 1837 Tribe Eriopygini Fibiger & Lafontaine, 2005 Tribe Glottulini Guenée, 1852 Tribe Hadenini Guenée, 1837 Tribe Leucaniini Guenée, 1837 Tribe Orthosiini Guenée, 1837 Tribe Tholerini Beck, 1996 Subfamily Heliothinae Boisduval, 1828 Subfamily Metoponiinae Herrich-Schäffer, 1851 Subfamily Noctuinae Latreille, 1809 Tribe Agrotini Rambur, 1848 Tribe Noctuini Latreille, 1809 Subfamily Oncocnemidinae Forbes & Franclemont, 1954 Subfamily Pantheinae Smith, 1898 Subfamily Plusiinae Boisduval, 1828 Tribe Abrostolini Eichlin & Cunningham, 1978 Tribe Argyrogrammatini Eichlin & Cunningham, 1978 Tribe Plusiini Boisduval, 1828 Subfamily Psaphidinae Grote, 1896 Tribe Feraliini Poole, 1995 Tribe Nocloini Poole, 1995 Tribe Psaphidini Grote, 1896 Tribe Triocnemidini Poole, 1995 Subfamily Raphiinae Beck, 1996 Subfamily Stiriinae Grote, 1882 Tribe Azenini Poole, 1995 Tribe Grotellini Poole, 1995 Tribe Stiriini Grote, 1882 Subfamily Strepsimaninae Meyrick, 1930 Subfamily Xyleninae Guenée, 1837 Tribe Actinotiini Beck, 1996 Tribe Apameini Guenée, 1841 Tribe Arzamini Grote, 1883 Tribe Caradrinini Boisduval, 1840 Tribe Dypterygiini Forbes, 1954 Tribe Eiaphriini Beck, 1996 Tribe Episemini Guenée, 1852 Tribe Phlogophorini Hampson, 1918 Tribe Phosphilini Poole, 1995 Tribe Prodenilni Forbes, 1954 Tribe Pseudeustrotiini Beck, 1996 Tribe Xylenini Guenée, 1837 Family Nolidae Bruand, 1846 Subfamily Afridinae Kitching & Rawlins, 1998 Subfamily Bleninae Mell, 1943 Subfamily Chloephorinae Stainton, 1859 Tribe Ariolicini Mell, 1943 Tribe Camptolomini Mell, 1943 Tribe Careini Moore, 1883 Tribe Chloephorini Stainton, 1859 Tribe Eariadini Hampson, 1912 Tribe Gelastocerini Zahiri et al., 2013 Tribe Sarrothripini Hampson, 1894 Subfamily Collomeninae Kitching & Rawlins, 1998 Subfamily Diphtherinae Fibiger & Lafontaine, 2005 Subfamily Eligminae Mell, 1943 Subfamily Nolinae Bruand, 1846 Subfamily Risobinae Mell, 1943 Subfamily Westermanniinae Hampson, 1918 Family Notodontidae Stephens, 1829 Subfamily Acrocteninae Kiriakof, 1970 Subfamily Dioptinae Walker, 1862 Subfamily Dudusinae Matsumura, 1925 Subfamily Hemiceratinae Guenée, 1852 Subfamily Heterocampinae Neumogen & Dyar, 1894 (incl. Disphraginae, Fentoniinae, Rifarginae) Subfamily Notodontinae Stephens, 1829 Tribe Dicranurini Duponchel, 1845 (incl. Cerurini) Tribe Notodontini Stephens, 1829 Tribe Stauropini Matsumura, 1929 Subfamily Nystaleinae Forbes, 1948 Subfamily Periergosinae Kobayashi, 2016 Subfamily Phalerinae Butler, 1886 Subfamily Platychasmatinae Nakamura, 1956 Subfamily Pygaerinae Duponchel, 1845 Subfamily Roseminae Forbes, 1939 Subfamily Spataliinae Matsumura, 1929 (incl. Biretinae, Ceirinae) Subfamily Thaumetopoeinae Aurivillius, 1889 Family Oenosandridae Miller, 1991 Family Scranciidae Miller, 1991
References
Sources
Hacker, Hermann H. & Zilli, Alberto (2007). Esperiana Buchreihe zur Entomologie Memoir 3: 179–246. Kitching, Ian J. & Rawlins, John E. (1999). "The Noctuoidea". In: Lepidoptera, Moths and Butterflies, Volume 1: Evolution, Systematics, and Biogeography, ed. N. P.Kristensen, pp. 355–401. Walter de Gruyter, Berlin. Lafontaine, J. Donald & Fibiger, Michael (2006). "Revised higher classification of the Noctuoidea (Lepidoptera)". Canadian Entomologist. 138 (5): 610–635
O'Toole, Christopher (ed.) (2002). Firefly Encyclopedia of Insects and Spiders. .
External links
Tree of Life Noctuoidea (summary of R. Zahiri's ongoing PhD studies)