Unstable-taxonomy

Guides

• Noctuoidea

  Owlet Moths and Allies

  Noctuoidea is the largest superfamily of Lepidoptera, comprising more than 70,000 described species. Members are commonly known as owlet or noctuid moths. The superfamily is characterized by the presence of a metathoracic tympanal organ (hearing structure). Classification remains unstable due to extensive molecular phylogenetic revisions, with major families including Noctuidae, Erebidae, Nolidae, Euteliidae, Notodontidae, Oenosandridae, and Scranciidae. The group is divided into two major lineages based on forewing venation: trifid (Oenosandridae, Notodontidae) and quadrifid (all other families).

  Lepidopteramothssuperfamilyowlet-mothsnoctuid-mothsagricultural-peststympanal-organunstable-taxonomymolecular-phylogeneticsquadrifid-venationtrifid-venation