Cryptaspasma bipenicilla - Hodges#2704.1
Cryptaspasma bipenicilla
This record describes Cryptaspasma bipenicilla (species). Recorded family: Tortricidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Adult : Males are grayish brown with faint black reticulated markings. Females are uniformly darker with less markings. Both males and females have a conspicuous white dot on the distal one-third of the FW. HW are pale grayish brown. Larva : Larvae has not been described
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Tortricoidea
- Family
- Tortricidae (Tortricid Moths)
- Subfamily
- Olethreutinae
- Tribe
- Microcorsini
- Genus
- Cryptaspasma
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Has been recorded feeding on seeds of avocado and slugwood (Lauraceae) in Puerto Rico and Cuba. Potential lauraceous hosts in the southeastern U.S. include Persea borbonia (redbay) and Persea palustris (swamp bay).
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: Specific epithet means "two hair pencils" (penicillum, coremata) for the "two dense brushes of long scales, one on each side of eighth abdominal segment in the male."
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Cryptaspasma bipenicilla. 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 Cryptaspasma bipenicilla - Hodges#2704.1 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Robert Lord Zimlich; Additional contributions by JohnMaxwell22 , Randy Hardy
Frequently Asked Questions About Cryptaspasma bipenicilla - Hodges#2704.1
What is Cryptaspasma bipenicilla - Hodges#2704.1?
Cryptaspasma bipenicilla - Hodges#2704.1 (Cryptaspasma bipenicilla) is a species in the family Tortricidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Cryptaspasma bipenicilla - Hodges#2704.1?
FWL: 6.5-11.5 mm
How do you identify Cryptaspasma bipenicilla - Hodges#2704.1?
Adult : Males are grayish brown with faint black reticulated markings. Females are uniformly darker with less markings. Both males and females have a conspicuous white dot on the distal one-third of the FW. HW are pale grayish brown. Larva : Larvae has not been described
What does Cryptaspasma bipenicilla - Hodges#2704.1 eat?
The diet of the Cryptaspasma bipenicilla - Hodges#2704.1 includes Has been recorded feeding on seeds of avocado and slugwood (Lauraceae) in Puerto Rico and Cuba. Potential lauraceous hosts in the southeastern U.S. include Persea borbonia (redbay) and Persea palustris (swamp bay)..