Argyria gonogramma - Hodges#5463.1
Argyria gonogramma
This record describes Argyria gonogramma (species). Recorded family: Crambidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Adult: forewing white with orange fringe (may appear brown or blackish in certain light); medial line faint, consisting mainly of a small dark spot at costa and at inner margin, plus a third dark spot halfway between these two; a fourth dark spot usually present where PM line meets costa; hindwing white, translucent, unmarked; face white; top of head orange or yellow.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Pyraloidea
- Family
- Crambidae (Crambid Snout Moths)
- Subfamily
- Crambinae
- Tribe
- Argyriini
- Genus
- Argyria
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
Throughout southeastern US north to North Carolina. Type locality ( gonogramma ): Bermuda. Type locality ( pusillalis ): "Baltimora [Baltimore, MD]".
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: Argyria gonogramma Dyar, 1915, listed as a synonym of Argyria lacteella (Fabricius, 1794) in Munroe (1995), is treated as a full species in Landry et al. (2023) and includes as a synonyms Argyria pusillalis Hübner, 1818 and Argyria lacteella of authors not Fabricius, 1794. True lacteella is not found north of Florida.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Argyria gonogramma. 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 Argyria gonogramma - Hodges#5463.1 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Steve Nanz
Frequently Asked Questions About Argyria gonogramma - Hodges#5463.1
What is Argyria gonogramma - Hodges#5463.1?
Argyria gonogramma - Hodges#5463.1 (Argyria gonogramma) is a species in the family Crambidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How do you identify Argyria gonogramma - Hodges#5463.1?
Adult: forewing white with orange fringe (may appear brown or blackish in certain light); medial line faint, consisting mainly of a small dark spot at costa and at inner margin, plus a third dark spot halfway between these two; a fourth dark spot usually present where PM line meets costa; hindwing white, translucent, unmarked; face white; top of head orange or yellow.
Where is Argyria gonogramma - Hodges#5463.1 found?
Range: Throughout southeastern US north to North Carolina. Type locality ( gonogramma ): Bermuda. Type locality ( pusillalis ): Baltimora [Baltimore, MD].