Acrolophus filicicornis - Hodges#0352
Acrolophus filicicornis
This record describes Acrolophus filicicornis (species). Recorded family: Tineidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
The original description as Felderia filicicornis Walsingham, is available in PDF or view online. Adult: Labial palpi recurved reaching the length of thorax. Hindwing is brown with light purple tinge. Specimen identified by DNA analysis (BOLD).
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Tineoidea
- Family
- Tineidae (Clothes Moths)
- Subfamily
- Acrolophinae
- Genus
- Acrolophus (Tubeworm Moths)
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
Arizona, central New Mexico (absent from eastern New Mexico), and western Texas; Mexico. ,
Seasonal Activity
The adults are most common from June to August.
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Larvae are thought to feed on grass species.
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: Specific epithet from Latin filix (fern) ( filiciform ) + cornus (horn) meaning "fern-shaped horn" for the "strongly bipectinate" antennae.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Acrolophus filicicornis. 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 Acrolophus filicicornis - Hodges#0352 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Maury J. Heiman; Additional contributions by Steve Nanz , margarethe brummermann , Randy Hardy , Kyhl Austin
Frequently Asked Questions About Acrolophus filicicornis - Hodges#0352
What is Acrolophus filicicornis - Hodges#0352?
Acrolophus filicicornis - Hodges#0352 (Acrolophus filicicornis) is a species in the family Tineidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Acrolophus filicicornis - Hodges#0352?
Wingspan: ♂ 26 mm. ♀ 27-31 mm.
How do you identify Acrolophus filicicornis - Hodges#0352?
The original description as Felderia filicicornis Walsingham, is available in PDF or view online. Adult: Labial palpi recurved reaching the length of thorax. Hindwing is brown with light purple tinge. Specimen identified by DNA analysis (BOLD).
Where is Acrolophus filicicornis - Hodges#0352 found?
Range: Arizona, central New Mexico (absent from eastern New Mexico), and western Texas; Mexico. ,
What does Acrolophus filicicornis - Hodges#0352 eat?
The diet of the Acrolophus filicicornis - Hodges#0352 includes Larvae are thought to feed on grass species..
When is Acrolophus filicicornis - Hodges#0352 active?
Acrolophus filicicornis - Hodges#0352: seasonal activity - The adults are most common from June to August..