Noctuidae
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9.9
A large family of moths whose caterpillars often damage crops at night
- noun
- /nɒkˈtjuːɪdiː/
- Specialized
:
Noctuidae
- Researchers are studying how to control Noctuidae populations to protect food supplies.
Examples
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Farmers often struggle with Noctuidae larvae that destroy crops in the fields.
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- Noctuidae principalis.
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The Noctuidae family includes many species that are known to be agricultural pests.
Synonyms
owlet moth
vsNoctuidae
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9.0
A medium-sized dull colored moth active at night whose caterpillars often eat crops
is the larger taxonomic group covering many such species and their larvae
Surface Forms
Noctuidae singular
Noctuidaes plural
Morphology
Noctuidae = Noctua (opaque) = noctu + idae
The suffix '-idae' is a specialized taxonomic marker meaning 'family' and the root 'noctu-' is a non-standalone combining form, so an average learner cannot reliably infer the meaning.
Etymology
The word Noctuidae comes from the root noct- meaning 'night' and the ending -idae that names a family of animals. So, Noctuidae is the family of moths active at night, called 'owlet moths', and many of their caterpillars eat crops after dark.