Spodoptera litura

Not to be confused with Spodoptera littoralis.

Spodoptera litura
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Superfamily: Noctuoidea
Family: Noctuidae
Genus: Spodoptera
Species:
S. litura
Binomial name
Spodoptera litura
(Fabricius, 1775)
Synonyms
  • Noctua litura Fabricius, 1775
  • Noctua histrionica Fabricius, 1775
  • Noctua elata Fabricius, 1781
  • Prodenia ciligera Guenée, 1852
  • Prodenia tasmanica Guenée, 1852
  • Prodenia subterminalis Walker, 1856
  • Prodenia glaucistriga Walker, 1856
  • Prodenia declinata Walker, 1857
  • Mamestra albisparsa Walker, 1862
  • Prodenia evanescens Butler, 1884
  • Orthosia conjuncta Rebel, 1921

Spodoptera litura, otherwise known as the tobacco cutworm or cotton leafworm, is a nocturnal moth in the family Noctuidae. S. litura is a serious polyphagous pest in Asia, Oceania, and the Indian subcontinent that was first described by Johan Christian Fabricius in 1775.[1] Its common names reference two of the most frequent host plants of the moth. In total, 87 species of host plants that are infested by S. litura are of economic importance.[2] The species parasitize the plants through the larvae vigorous eating patterns, oftentimes leaving the leaves completely destroyed. The moth's effects are quite disastrous, destroying economically important agricultural crops and decreasing yield in some plants completely.[3] Their potential impact on the many different cultivated crops, and subsequently the local agricultural economy, has led to serious efforts to control the pests.[4]

S. litura is often confused with its close relative, Spodoptera littoralis. These two species are hard to discriminate between because the larvae and adult forms are identical. Inspecting the genitalia is the most certain way to tell the two species apart.[5]

  1. ^ Yu, Jin-Feng; Li, Cong; Xu, Jin; Liu, Jian-Hong; Ye, Hui (2014). "Male Accessory Gland Secretions Modulate Female Post-Mating Behavior in the Moth Spodoptera litura". Journal of Insect Behavior. 27 (1): 105–116. doi:10.1007/s10905-013-9414-4. S2CID 16139914.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference :8 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Abbas, Naeem; Shad, Sarfraz Ali; Razaq, Muhammad (2012-07-01). "Fitness cost, cross resistance and realized heritability of resistance to imidacloprid in Spodoptera litura (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)". Pesticide Biochemistry and Physiology. 103 (3): 181–188. doi:10.1016/j.pestbp.2012.05.001.
  4. ^ Seth, Rakesh K.; Khan, Zubeda; Rao, Dev K.; Zarin, Mahtab (2016-06-01). "Flight Activity and Mating Behavior of Irradiated Spodoptera litura (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) Males and Their F1 Progeny for Use of Inherited Sterility in Pest Management Approaches". Florida Entomologist. 99 (sp1): 119–130. doi:10.1653/024.099.sp115. ISSN 0015-4040.
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference :2 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).