Angel Lichen Moth - Hodges#8070
Cisthene angelus
This record describes Cisthene angelus (species). Recorded family: Erebidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Dyar's original description of angelus and Knowlton's revision of the genus both emphasize the solid yellow/orange color of the thorax, lacking any black or gray spot. This is combined with a wide yellow/orange band on the FW inner margin which connects broadly to the post-median bar which is also usually quite broad. The PM band is usually oblique, nearly paralleling the outer FW margin. See this Texas key for further details on separating this and similar species. The larva of Cisthene and others in this tribe are frass shooters. They can fire their fecal pellets up to 20 times the length of their bodies (Conner, 2009).
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Noctuoidea
- Family
- Erebidae
- Subfamily
- Arctiinae
- Tribe
- Lithosiini
- Genus
- Cisthene
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
Typically encountered in riparian corridors in arid regions (e.g. banks of the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon; desert washes in West Texas).
Geographic Range
Southern Nevada and Utah south to southern Arizona and west Texas (Powell & Opler, 2009). iNaturalist.org has records as far east as Val Verde Co., TX, where the species overlaps with the very similar Cisthene picta .
Seasonal Activity
Research in the Grand Canyon showed the species with a distinct bimodal flight period, April-June and August-October (Metcalfe et al. 2016) (Powell & Opler, 2009).
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Larvae presumably feed on lichens and algae like other Lithosiini.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Cisthene angelus. 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 Angel Lichen Moth - Hodges#8070 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Mike Quinn; Additional contributions by Maury Heiman , Chuck Sexton , Randy Hardy
Frequently Asked Questions About Angel Lichen Moth - Hodges#8070
What is Angel Lichen Moth - Hodges#8070?
Angel Lichen Moth - Hodges#8070 (Cisthene angelus) is a species in the family Erebidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Angel Lichen Moth - Hodges#8070?
Forewing length 10-12 mm (Powell & Opler, 2009).
How do you identify Angel Lichen Moth - Hodges#8070?
Dyar's original description of angelus and Knowlton's revision of the genus both emphasize the solid yellow/orange color of the thorax, lacking any black or gray spot. This is combined with a wide yellow/orange band on the FW inner margin which connects broadly to the post-median bar which is also usually quite broad. The PM band is usually oblique, nearly paralleling the outer FW margin. See this Texas key for further details on separating this and similar species.
Where is Angel Lichen Moth - Hodges#8070 found?
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Habitat | Typically encountered in riparian corridors in arid regions (e.g. banks of the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon; desert washes in West Texas). |
| Range | Southern Nevada and Utah south to southern Arizona and west Texas (Powell & Opler, 2009). iNaturalist.org has records as far east as Val Verde Co., TX, where the species overlaps with the very similar Cisthene picta . |
What does Angel Lichen Moth - Hodges#8070 eat?
The diet of the Angel Lichen Moth - Hodges#8070 includes Larvae presumably feed on lichens and algae like other Lithosiini..
When is Angel Lichen Moth - Hodges#8070 active?
Angel Lichen Moth - Hodges#8070: seasonal activity - Research in the Grand Canyon showed the species with a distinct bimodal flight period, April-June and August-October (Metcalfe et al. 2016) (Powell & Opler, 2009)..