Phylogenomics of prominent moths (Notodontidae) reveals a new family

Noctuoidea, the owlet moths, is the most diverse superfamily of Lepidoptera, containing over 50,000 species and includes some of the most well-known and destructive pests, such as the Corn Earworm and the Spongy Moth. The group contains six relatively well-studied families, but one of these, the Prominent Moths (Notodontidae), has always lacked a robust molecular phylogenetic hypothesis and thus the intrafamilial relationships have remained elusive for decades. Using anchored hybrid enrichment phylogenomics, we inferred the most taxonomically and genetically complete dataset of Notodontidae to date, including all putative subfamilial and tribal groups, totaling roughly 150 genera. This phylogenomic backbone allows the recognition of 21 subfamilies, five of which are new and many which are newly delimited. Perhaps most surprisingly, one of the most poorly studied subfamilies is recovered outside Notodontidae and is the potential sister to the remaining Noctuoidea. We provide a brief systematic overview of the diverse, globally distributed Notodontidae (4,500+ species) resulting from this work. We also provide a more detailed look at the newly recognized African and Asian genera comprising a newly described family of 100+ species.