Asaphocrita aphidiella-complex - Hodges#1171
Asaphocrita aphidiella-complex
This record describes Asaphocrita aphidiella-complex (species). Recorded family: Blastobasidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
DNA analysis indicates that this is a complex of at least several species. I (ASH) designated this a species complex page based on DNA barcode data as part of my effort to sort through images of Blastobasidae on BugGuide. This is not a described species complex and should be considered an informal designation. BOLD:AAA8940 : eastern Canada, southern Appalachians (TN) BOLD:AAC4277 : southern Canada, WA, CA BOLD:AAG8582 : TX, MD, FL (the last ~2% divergence from others) BOLD:AAK0206 : CO BOLD:AAC4238 : eastern Canada, Appalachians (VA, TN), CO BOLD:AAE0464 : MD, IL, TN
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Gelechioidea
- Family
- Blastobasidae (Scavenger Moths)
- Subfamily
- Blastobasinae
- Tribe
- Holcocerini
- Genus
- Asaphocrita
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
Type locality probably Washington, DC
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Walsingham reported Riley reared the species from Phylloxera hickory galls.
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: Specific epithet refers to the hemipteran family Aphididae, although Walsingham laments that Riley gives no rationale, the use of the name "merely logonymic." , logonym: (zoology) the name of a species which became the type of a genus-group name by subsequent designation.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Asaphocrita aphidiella-complex. 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 Asaphocrita aphidiella-complex - Hodges#1171 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by v belov; Additional contributions by Beatriz Moisset , Maury Heiman , Randy Hardy , Blocky
Frequently Asked Questions About Asaphocrita aphidiella-complex - Hodges#1171
What is Asaphocrita aphidiella-complex - Hodges#1171?
Asaphocrita aphidiella-complex - Hodges#1171 (Asaphocrita aphidiella-complex) is a species in the family Blastobasidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Asaphocrita aphidiella-complex - Hodges#1171?
Walsingham reported a wingspan of 17 mm.
Where is Asaphocrita aphidiella-complex - Hodges#1171 found?
Range: Type locality probably Washington, DC
What does Asaphocrita aphidiella-complex - Hodges#1171 eat?
The diet of the Asaphocrita aphidiella-complex - Hodges#1171 includes Walsingham reported Riley reared the species from Phylloxera hickory galls..