Trichoplusia ni

Definition

A medium-sized noctuid moth (family Noctuidae) whose larva, the cabbage looper, is a major agricultural pest of cruciferous vegetables. The species is characterized by looping locomotion in larvae—arching the midbody to bring the hind prolegs forward to the thoracic legs—and is widely used as a laboratory host for baculovirus research and protein expression systems.

Etymology

Latinized genus name of uncertain derivation; specific epithet from Greek letter ν (nu) or possibly from 'ni' as an arbitrary designation by Hübner.

Example

Trichoplusia ni larvae are routinely reared on artificial diet in insectaries to produce high-titer stocks of Autographa californica multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus (AcMNPV) for both basic research and commercial biocontrol applications.

Synonyms

• cabbage looper (common name)

Related Terms

• Noctuidae
• Lepidoptera
• larva
• Proleg
• baculovirus
• host plant
• Integrated Pest Management
• pheromone trap

Usage Notes

The common name 'cabbage looper' properly refers to the larval stage, though it is often applied to the species as a whole. In laboratory contexts, 'Tn5 cells' (a cell line derived from T. ni ovaries) are frequently mentioned without reference to the whole organism. The species is native to North America but has spread globally with crucifer cultivation.