new-species - Hodges#1841.89
Besciva n-sp
This record describes Besciva n-sp (unresolved taxon). Recorded family: Gelechiidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Images posted to this page prior to 03/24/2019 were previously misidentified as Ymeldia janae Hodges, 1965, a species which bears little resemblance to Besciva . Jim Vargo, pers. comm. 03/21/2019, noted that all the images of Y. janae at MPG were misidentified and appeared to refer to Heppner's undescribed species in the genus Besciva . Kimball (1965:278) listed Besciva , det. Clark, from multiple locations in Florida. Heppner likewise listed Besciva . Based on images at BOLD and the original description of the genus and type, it would appear that Jim Vargo's hunch is reasonably well supported. - Steve Nanz, 03/23/2019
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Gelechioidea
- Family
- Gelechiidae (Twirler Moths)
- Subfamily
- Gelechiinae
- Tribe
- Gelechiini
- Genus
- Besciva
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Besciva n-sp. 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 new-species - Hodges#1841.89 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Steve Nanz; Additional contributions by Robert H. Biagi