Herminiinae

Litter Moths

Genus Guides

21

Herminiinae is a of in the Erebidae, order Lepidoptera. Members are commonly called litter moths due to the feeding habits of their caterpillars. The subfamily was previously treated as a separate family (Herminiidae) or as a subfamily of Noctuidae, but phylogenetic analysis places it within Erebidae, most closely related to Aganainae.

Tetanolita palligera by (c) Ken-ichi Ueda, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Ken-ichi Ueda. Used under a CC-BY license.Rejectaria by (c) Gerry van Tonder, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Gerry van Tonder. Used under a CC-BY license.Renia by (c) John B., some rights reserved (CC BY). Used under a CC-BY license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Herminiinae: /hɛrˈmɪniɪniː/

These audio files are automatically generated. While they are not always 100% accurate, they are a good starting point.

Images

Habitat

Grasslands around coniferous and broad-leaved mixed forests; general associations of the are poorly documented beyond individual records.

Distribution

Global distribution; documented from North America, India, China (including Xizang Autonomous Region and Jiangxi Province), and other regions. Specific distributions vary by and .

Seasonality

of at least some fly during the dry season; specimens of Orthozona parallelilineata captured with UV light in August.

Diet

Caterpillars of most members feed on dead leaves of plants; some feed on living leaves; members of Idia feed on fungal mushrooms.

Behavior

of some attracted to UV light.

Ecological Role

Larvae contribute to decomposition of plant litter; some may facilitate nutrient cycling in forest .

Similar Taxa

  • AganainaePhylogenetically most closely related within Erebidae according to molecular analysis.
  • HypeninaeAnother of Erebidae; distinguished by different larval feeding habits and .
  • HypocalinaeRelated of Erebidae; differs in morphological characteristics and ecological preferences.

More Details

Taxonomic History

Herminiinae has undergone significant taxonomic revision, having been classified as Herminiidae, of Noctuidae, and currently as subfamily of Erebidae based on phylogenetic evidence.

Observation Data

Over 370,000 observations recorded on iNaturalist as of source date, indicating substantial citizen science documentation of the .

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Sources and further reading