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The Noctuidae, commonly known as Owlet moths, Cutworms or Armyworms, is the most controversial family in the superfamily Noctuoidea especially because many of its clades are constantly changing along with the other families of Noctuoidea. It was considered the largest family in Lepidoptera for a long time, but after regrouping Lymantriinae,Catocalinae and Calpinae within Erebidae, which gave it this title now. Currently, Noctuidae is now the second largest family in Noctuoidea with about 1,089 genera and 11,772 species. However, it is still unfinished as more changes continue to appear between these two families.

Description
Adult: Noctuid adults most have drab wings, but some subfamilies as Acronictinae and Agaristinae are very colorful especially those form Tropical regions (e.g. Baorisa hieroglyphica). Also they are characterized by a structure in the metathorax called nodular sclerite or epaulette, which separate the tympanum and the conjunctiva in the tympanal organ. And it also has another function that is keep out the parasites (Acari) from tympanal cavity. Another characteristic in his group is trifine hindwing venation by reduction or absence of the second medial vein (M2).

Larva: Commonly green or brown however, some species present brightly colors such as the Camphorweed cucullia moth (Cucullia alfarata). Most are pudgy and smooth with rounded short heads and few setae, but there are some exceptions in some subfamilies (e.g. Acronictinae and Pantheinae).

Pupa: the pupae are often from shiny brown to dark brown. When they just pupate are bright brownish orange, but after few days start to get darker.

Eggs: they vary in colors, but all have a spherical shape.

Etymology
The word Noctuidae is derived from the name of the type genus Noctua which is from the Latin word Noctudæ for “Owl,” and the patronymic suffix -idae used typically to form taxonomic family names in animals.

The common word “owlet” to refers a small or young owl. Otherwise, the terms “armyworms” and “cutworms” are based on the behavior of this group which occur in destructive swarms and cut the stems of plants.

Distribution and Diversity
This family is cosmopolitan and it can be found worldwide except in the Antarctic region. However, some species such as the Setaceous hebrew character (Xestia c-nigrum) can be found in the Arctic Circle specifically in the Yukon territory of western Canada with an elevation 1,702 m above sea level, where the temperature fluctuates between 23/-25 °C (73/-13 °F). Many species of Dart moths have been recorded in high elevations as high as 4,000 m above sea level (e.g. Xestia elisabetha). Among the places where the number of species has been counted are North America and Northern Mexico with about 2,522 species, and 1,576 species are found in Europe, while the other species are sorted in the worldwide.

Mutualism
Members of Noctuidae, like other butterflies and moths, perform an important role in plant pollination. However, some species have developed a stronger connection with their host plants. For example, the Lychnis moth (Hadena bicruris) has a strange mutualistic relationship with pink or carnation plants (Caryophyllaceae).

Food guilds
Herbivory:  It well-known that caterpillars feed on plants, flowers and fruits. However, many noctuids have a particular interest for toxic plants because they are able to withstand the chemical defenses of plants, as in the case of the Splendid brocade (Lacanobia splendens) that is capable to feed on Cowbane (Cicuta virosa), one of the most poisonous plant on the world.

Predatory and Cannibalism: During the larval stage, some cutworms prefer to feed on other insects. One of them is the Shivering Pinion (Lithophane querquera), which commonly feed on other Lepidoptera larvae. Moreover, it is well-known that larvae of the Fall Armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda) like to eat their siblings.

Nectarivory and Puddling: Like many Lepidoptera, members Noctuids feed on the nectar of flowers. They also have other food resources such as dung, urea and mud among others.

Courtship
Like the other members of the order Lepidoptera, courtship consists of a set of movements, where the female evaluates the male skills.

Most noctuid moths have organs known as hairy pedicels and pheromone glands, which are important to release pheromones or chemical compounds to attract males or females. It is well known that pheromones in female are to call males, but the compounds in males are still under study.

Reproduction
Noctuid moths commonly begin the reproductive season from spring to fall, and mostly are multivoltine such as the Eastern Panthea moth (Panthea furcilla) that reproduces over the year. Nevertheless, some species have just one brood of offspring (univoltine); among the best known is the Lesser yellow underwing (Noctua comes).

Defense
This group has a wide range of both chemical and physical defenses. Among the chemical defenses three types stand out. First, the pyrrolizidine alkaloid sequestration usually present in Arctiinae is also found in few species of noctuids including the Spanish moth (Xanthopastis timais). Another chemical defense is formic acid production, which was thought was only present in Notodontidae, but later was found in caterpillars of Trachosea champa. Finally, the last type of chemical defense is regurgitation of plant compounds often used by many insects, but the Cabbage Palm Caterpillar (Litoprosopus futilis) produce a toxin called toluquinone that deters predators.

On the other hand, the main physical defense in caterpillars and adult is mimicry. Most owlet moths have drab colors with a variety of patterns suitable to camouflage their bodies. The second physical defense consists in thousands of secondary setae that surround the body. The subfamilies that present this mechanism are Pantheinae and Acronictinae. The third is aposematism, represented by species of Cucullinae. Finally, all adults have another mechanism for defense and it is a tympanal organ available to hear the echolocation spread out by bats so they can avoid them.

Agriculture
Many species of owlet moths are considered an agricultural problem around the world. Their larvae are typically known as "cutworms" or "armyworms" due to enormous swarms that destroy crops, orchards and garden every year. The old world bollworm (Helicoverpa armigera) produce loses in agriculture every year that exceed US$2 billion.

Systematics
Since molecular analysis began to play a larger role in systematics, the structure of many Lepidoptera groups has been changing and Noctuidae is not an exception. Most recent studies have shown that Noctuidae sensu stricto is a monophyletic group mainly based on trifine venation. However there are some clades within Noctuidae sensu lato that have to be studied. This taxonomic division represent the subfamilies, tribes and subtribes considered so far.
 * Family Noctuidae Latreille, 1809
 * Subfamily Plusiinae Boisduval, [1828]
 * Tribe Abrostolini Eichlin & Cunningham, 1978
 * Tribe Argyrogrammatini Eichlin & Cunningham, 1978
 * Tribe Plusiini Boisduval, [1828]
 * Subtribe Autoplusiina Kitching, 1987
 * Subtribe Euchalciina Chou & Lu, 1979
 * Subtribe Plusiina Boisduval, [1828]
 * Subfamily Bagisarinae Crumb, 1956
 * Tribe Cydosiini Kitching & Rawlins, [1998]
 * Subfamily Eustrotiinae Grote, 1882
 * Subfamily Acontiinae Guenée, 1841
 * Tribe Acontiini Guenée, 1841
 * Subfamily Pantheinae Smith, 1898
 * Subfamily Dilobinae Aurivillius, 1889
 * Subfamily Balsinae Grote, 1896
 * Subfamily Acronictinae Heinemann, 1859
 * Subfamily Metoponiinae Herrich-Schäff er, [1851]
 * Subfamily Cuculliinae Herrich-Schäff er, [1850]
 * Subfamily Amphipyrinae Guenée, 1837
 * Tribe Amphipyrini Guenée, 1837
 * Tribe Psaphidini Grote, 1896
 * Subtribe Psaphidina Grote, 1896
 * Subtribe Feraliina Poole, 1995
 * Subtribe Nocloina Poole, 1995
 * Subtribe Triocnemidina Poole, 1995
 * Tribe Stiriini Grote, 1882 293
 * Subtribe Stiriina Grote, 1882
 * Subtribe Grotellina Poole, 1995
 * Subtribe Azeniina Poole, 1995
 * Subtribe Annaphilina Mustelin, 2006
 * Subfamily Oncocnemidinae Forbes & Franclemont, 1954
 * Subfamily Agaristinae Herrich-Schäff er, [1858]
 * Subfamily Condicinae Poole, 1995
 * Tribe Condicini Poole, 1995
 * Tribe Leuconyctini Poole, 1995
 * Subfamily Heliothinae Boisduval, [1828]
 * Subfamily Eriopinae Herrich-Schäff er, [1851]
 * Subfamily Bryophilinae Guenée, 1852
 * Subfamily Noctuinae Latreille, 1809
 * Tribe Pseudeustrotiini Beck, 1996
 * Tribe Phosphilini Poole, 1995
 * Tribe Prodeniini Forbes, 1954
 * Tribe Elaphriini Beck, 1996
 * Tribe Caradrinini Boisduval, 1840
 * Subtribe Caradrinina Boisduval, 1840
 * Subtribe Athetiina Fibiger & Lafontaine, 2005
 * Tribe Dypterygiini Forbes, 1954
 * Tribe Actinotiini Beck, 1996
 * Tribe Phlogophorini Hampson, 1918
 * Tribe Apameini Guenée, 1841
 * Tribe Arzamini Grote, 1883
 * Tribe Xylenini Guenée, 1837
 * Subtribe Xylenina Guenée, 1837
 * Subtribe Cosmiina Guenée, 1852
 * Subtribe Antitypina Forbes & Franclemont, 1954
 * Subtribe Ufeina Crumb, 1956
 * Tribe Orthosiini Guenée, 1837
 * Tribe Tholerini Beck, 1996
 * Tribe Hadenini Guenée, 1837
 * Tribe Leucaniini Guenée, 1837
 * Tribe Eriopygini Fibiger & Lafontaine, 2005
 * Tribe Glottulini Guenée, 1852
 * Tribe Noctuini Latreille, 1809
 * Subtribe Agrotina Rambur, 1848
 * Subtribe Noctuina Latreille, 1809
 * Subfamily Raphiinae Beck, 1996
 * Subfamily Eucocytiinae Hampson, 1918.