Acalyptris thoracealbella - Hodges#0112
Acalyptris thoracealbella
This record describes Acalyptris thoracealbella (species). Recorded family: Nepticulidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Adult - head dark ochreous, antenna scape (eye caps) shiny white, antennae pale gray-brown, collar dark ochreous, thorax whitish, abdomen pale yellow-brown reflecting metallic gray, legs pale yellow-brown with metallic gray scaling. Forewing pale brown reflecting bronze, single off-white medial fascia broadening at the dorsal margin followed by two patches of the same color. Fringe pale gray-white, hindwing pale brown with pale gray-white fringe. See Wilkinson (1979) in Print References.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Nepticuloidea
- Family
- Nepticulidae
- Genus
- Acalyptris
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
Scattered records from Indiana, Maine, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Kentucky, Virginia and North Carolina. , , Holotype ♂ collected in Kentucky.
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Larvae are probably leaf miners but the host is unknown.
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: Specific epithet is Latin meaning "white thorax."
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Acalyptris thoracealbella. Species-specific details appear above.
Group overview
Lepidoptera includes approximately 180,000 described species of butterflies and moths. Moths outnumber butterflies roughly 10:1. The monarch butterfly's eastern population has declined by more than 80% since the mid-1990s, and the western population by over 95% since the 1980s. The IUCN lists the migratory monarch as Vulnerable.
Ecological role of the group
Butterflies and moths are essential indicators of ecosystem health. As caterpillars, they are a primary food source for birds - a single nest of blue tit chicks requires ~10,000 caterpillars. Adult moths pollinate many night-blooming plants.
Economic and practical significance of the group
Lepidoptera are critical pollinators. In Europe, grassland butterfly species have declined by almost 50% since the early 1990s. In the UK, three-quarters of butterflies are in decline. In the U.S., five butterfly species have gone extinct since 1950, with 29 listed as endangered.
Recorded sources for this group: IUCN Red List, Xerces Society, USFWS, PNAS, WWF. Imported estimates may describe particular regions or reporting periods.
Photos of Acalyptris thoracealbella - Hodges#0112 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Randy Hardy; Additional contributions by Tony-2 , Maury Heiman
Frequently Asked Questions About Acalyptris thoracealbella - Hodges#0112
What is Acalyptris thoracealbella - Hodges#0112?
Acalyptris thoracealbella - Hodges#0112 (Acalyptris thoracealbella) is a species in the family Nepticulidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Acalyptris thoracealbella - Hodges#0112?
Wingspan: ♂ 4.6-5.2 mm, ♀ 4.6-4.8 mm. ( 3 ) , ( 5 )
How do you identify Acalyptris thoracealbella - Hodges#0112?
Adult - head dark ochreous, antenna scape (eye caps) shiny white, antennae pale gray-brown, collar dark ochreous, thorax whitish, abdomen pale yellow-brown reflecting metallic gray, legs pale yellow-brown with metallic gray scaling. Forewing pale brown reflecting bronze, single off-white medial fascia broadening at the dorsal margin followed by two patches of the same color. Fringe pale gray-white, hindwing pale brown with pale gray-white fringe. See Wilkinson (1979) in Print References.
Where is Acalyptris thoracealbella - Hodges#0112 found?
Range: Scattered records from Indiana, Maine, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Kentucky, Virginia and North Carolina. , , Holotype ♂ collected in Kentucky.
What does Acalyptris thoracealbella - Hodges#0112 eat?
The diet of the Acalyptris thoracealbella - Hodges#0112 includes Larvae are probably leaf miners but the host is unknown..