Saddled Prominent - Hodges#7994
Cecrita guttivitta
This record describes Cecrita guttivitta (species). Recorded family: Notodontidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
See Miller et al. (2021) ( 3 ) Specimen identified by DNA analysis:
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Noctuoidea
- Family
- Notodontidae (Prominent Moths)
- Subfamily
- Heterocampinae
- Tribe
- Heterocampini
- Genus
- Cecrita
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
e. N. Amer. w/ western strays in Canada - Map (MPG) Type locality ( guttivitta ): Nova Scotia.
Seasonal Activity
Mar-Oct (MPG)
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Apple, beech, birch, blueberry, buckeye, chestnut, dogwood, hazel, hickory, hop hornbeam, maple (especially sugar maple), oak, persimmon, sour gum, sumac, walnut, witch hazel, and many other woody plants ( 4 )
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: Cecrita guttivitta Walker, 1855, n. comb. in Becker , was formerly in the genus Heterocampa in the 1983 Hodges Checklist.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Cecrita guttivitta. 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 Saddled Prominent - Hodges#7994 (8)
Photo credits: Contributed by Troy Bartlett; Additional contributions by cotinis , Steve Nanz , Tony-2 , Mike Quinn , Jason D. Roberts , Maury Heiman , marcie oconnor , Robert H. Biagi
Frequently Asked Questions About Saddled Prominent - Hodges#7994
What is Saddled Prominent - Hodges#7994?
Saddled Prominent - Hodges#7994 (Cecrita guttivitta) is a species in the family Notodontidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How do you identify Saddled Prominent - Hodges#7994?
See Miller et al. (2021) ( 3 ) Specimen identified by DNA analysis:
Where is Saddled Prominent - Hodges#7994 found?
Range: e. N. Amer. w/ western strays in Canada - Map (MPG) Type locality ( guttivitta ): Nova Scotia.
What does Saddled Prominent - Hodges#7994 eat?
The diet of the Saddled Prominent - Hodges#7994 includes Apple, beech, birch, blueberry, buckeye, chestnut, dogwood, hazel, hickory, hop hornbeam, maple (especially sugar maple), oak, persimmon, sour gum, sumac, walnut, witch hazel, and many other woody plants ( 4 ).
When is Saddled Prominent - Hodges#7994 active?
Saddled Prominent - Hodges#7994: seasonal activity - Mar-Oct (MPG).