Spodoptera litura

Spodoptera litura
Adult
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
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, the Oriental leafworm moth, is a noctuid moth which is considered an agricultural pest. It is also known as the cluster caterpillar, cotton leafworm, tobacco cutworm, and tropical armyworm. It is found in the Indo-Australian tropics. It is also established on most Polynesian islands, where it occurs in a variety of island forms.

Ecology

The larvae feed on a wide range of plants and have been recorded from over 40 mostly dicotyledonous plant families. It is a major pest of many crops. Some of abundant plant species include, castor, cotton, tobacco, groundnut, sorghum, maize, soybean, banana, guava, brinjal, beetroot, cabbage, cauliflower, and Colocasia.

Gallery

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  Egg mass
• 
  Emerging larvae
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  Caterpillar
• 
  Caterpillar
• 
  Illustration of a mounted adult
• 
  Mounted adult
• 
  Mounted adult, ventral view
• 
  Illustration showing adult and caterpillar

External links

• The moths of the Chagos Archipelago with notes on their biogeography
• Species page on Spodoptera litura.