Anania mysippusalis - Hodges#4957
Anania mysippusalis
This record describes Anania mysippusalis (species). Recorded family: Crambidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Adult: forewing medium brown with dark brown AM and PM lines and dark fringe; PM line irregular, slightly wavy, with large lobe near mid-point; hindwing similar but with pale fringe; abdomen long, slender, brown with whitish band at base of each segment specimen identified by DNA analysis (BOLD) from Libby & Rick Avis Genitalia: page creation based on Brian Scholtens' identification of this image, reported by Bob Patterson via email.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Pyraloidea
- Family
- Crambidae (Crambid Snout Moths)
- Subfamily
- Pyraustinae
- Tribe
- Pyraustini
- Genus
- Anania
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
across southern Canada from Nova Scotia to British Columbia, south in the west to California and Arizona
Seasonal Activity
adults fly from May to August in California
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Anania mysippusalis. 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 Anania mysippusalis - Hodges#4957 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Robin McLeod; Additional contributions by Steve Nanz , Maury Heiman , Robert H. Biagi
Frequently Asked Questions About Anania mysippusalis - Hodges#4957
What is Anania mysippusalis - Hodges#4957?
Anania mysippusalis - Hodges#4957 (Anania mysippusalis) is a species in the family Crambidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Anania mysippusalis - Hodges#4957?
wingspan about 26 mm
How do you identify Anania mysippusalis - Hodges#4957?
Adult: forewing medium brown with dark brown AM and PM lines and dark fringe; PM line irregular, slightly wavy, with large lobe near mid-point; hindwing similar but with pale fringe; abdomen long, slender, brown with whitish band at base of each segment specimen identified by DNA analysis (BOLD) from Libby & Rick Avis Genitalia:
Where is Anania mysippusalis - Hodges#4957 found?
Range: across southern Canada from Nova Scotia to British Columbia, south in the west to California and Arizona
When is Anania mysippusalis - Hodges#4957 active?
Anania mysippusalis - Hodges#4957: seasonal activity - adults fly from May to August in California.