Aroga websteri - Hodges#2201
Aroga websteri
This record describes Aroga websteri (species). Recorded family: Gelechiidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Specimen determined by DNA analysis (BOLD). The larvae are a major defoliator of Great Basin Sagebrush ( Artemisia tridentata ), which covers vast areas of the intermountain west between the Rocky Mountains and the Cascade/Sierra Nevada ranges.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Gelechioidea
- Family
- Gelechiidae (Twirler Moths)
- Subfamily
- Gelechiinae
- Tribe
- Gelechiini
- Genus
- Aroga
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
California, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Utah, Washington, and probably Wyoming. [See pg. 14 of Hsiao & Green(1974)] Few (amateur?) collection records located from Washington, California, and Illinois. Holotype ♂ & ♀ from Pullman, Washington.
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Various species of sagebrush: Artemisia tridentata in the principal host, other species of Artemisia are used when A. tridentata is less available or they are nearby, including A. tripartita , A. arbuscula , A. nova , and A. cana ssp. cana . [See pp. 15-16 of Hsiao & Green(1974)]
Life History
Life history discussed beginning at last paragraph of pg. 5 of the PDF for Hsiao(1972)
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: Clarke (1942) stated: "This species is named in honor of my friend and former professor. Dr. R.L. Webster, head of the department of zoology, Washington State College." The common name derives from the fact that the larvae are a major defoliator of Great Basin Sagebrush ( Artemisia tridentata ).
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Aroga websteri. 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 Aroga websteri - Hodges#2201 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Maury J. Heiman; Additional contributions by Aaron Schusteff , Robert H. Biagi
Frequently Asked Questions About Aroga websteri - Hodges#2201
What is Aroga websteri - Hodges#2201?
Aroga websteri - Hodges#2201 (Aroga websteri) is a species in the family Gelechiidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Aroga websteri - Hodges#2201?
Clarke (1942) listed the wingspan 14-16 mm.
How do you identify Aroga websteri - Hodges#2201?
Specimen determined by DNA analysis (BOLD).
Where is Aroga websteri - Hodges#2201 found?
Range: California, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Utah, Washington, and probably Wyoming. [See pg. 14 of Hsiao & Green(1974)] Few (amateur?) collection records located from Washington, California, and Illinois. Holotype ♂ & ♀ from Pullman, Washington.
What does Aroga websteri - Hodges#2201 eat?
The diet of the Aroga websteri - Hodges#2201 includes Various species of sagebrush: Artemisia tridentata in the principal host, other species of Artemisia are used when A. tridentata is less available or they are nearby, including A. tripartita , A. arbuscula , A. nova , and A. cana ssp. cana . [See pp. 15-16 of Hsiao & Green(1974)].
What is the life cycle of a Aroga websteri - Hodges#2201?
Life history discussed beginning at last paragraph of pg. 5 of the PDF for Hsiao(1972)