Xylenini

Guenée, 1837

Genus Guides

Xylenini is a tribe of within the Noctuidae, established by Guenée in 1837. The tribe comprises approximately 13 recognized including Lithophane, Xylena, and Xanthia. Taxonomic placement remains disputed, with some authorities placing these genera in Cuculliinae or recognizing them as a distinct subfamily Xyleninae. Members are commonly known as pinions and sallows.

Xanthia by (c) Donald Hobern, some rights reserved (CC BY). Used under a CC-BY license.

Lithophane abita by (c) Laura Gaudette, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Laura Gaudette. Used under a CC-BY license.

Lithophane bethunei by (c) Trevor Edmonson, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Trevor Edmonson. Used under a CC-BY license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Xylenini: /zɪˈlɛ.nɪ.naɪ/

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

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More Details

Taxonomic Uncertainty

The classification of Xylenini is currently unstable. While Catalogue of Life places the tribe within Noctuinae, other sources maintain placement in Hadeninae or Cuculliinae. Some treatments elevate the group to subfamily rank as Xyleninae. This reflects broader ongoing revisions within Noctuidae .

Notable Genera

The Lithophane contains known as pinions, many of which are autumn or winter-active. Xylena includes the sallows, characterized by robust bodies and early spring periods. Xanthia species are typically small with yellow or orange forewings.

Observational Data

iNaturalist records over 200,000 observations attributed to Xylenini, indicating the group is frequently encountered and relatively well-documented by citizen scientists, though many records may reflect coarse identifications to tribe level.