LepidopteraUnplaced-idae – Apoditrysia not assigned to family or superfamily

Cycloplasis immaculata - Hodges#2493.1

Cycloplasis immaculata

This record describes Cycloplasis immaculata (species). Recorded family: Unplaced-idae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.

Identification and Appearance

Cycloplasis immaculata - Hodges#2493.1 - Cycloplasis immaculata
Contributed by Charley Eiseman

Lacks the silvery band on the basal third of the forewing found on the common and widespread Cycloplasis panicifoliella .

Classification

Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Arthropoda
Class
Insecta
Order
Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
Superfamily
Zygaenoidea
Family
Unplaced-idae (Apoditrysia not assigned to family or superfamily)
Genus
Cycloplasis

Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.

Habitat and Range

Geographic Range

Described from a prairie in Delaware County, OK.

Diet and Behavior

Diet: “ Panicum sp.”, presumably a Dichanthelium .

Additional species information

Species notes from the sources

Etymology: Author: Braun, 1940

About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group

Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Cycloplasis immaculata. 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.

Explore Lepidoptera families and species →

Photos of Cycloplasis immaculata - Hodges#2493.1 (5)

Cycloplasis immaculata - Hodges#2493.1 - photo 1
Contributed by Charley Eiseman
Cycloplasis immaculata - Hodges#2493.1 - photo 2
Contributed by Charley Eiseman
Cycloplasis immaculata - Hodges#2493.1 - photo 3
Contributed by Charley Eiseman
Cycloplasis immaculata - Hodges#2493.1 - photo 4
Contributed by Charley Eiseman
Cycloplasis immaculata - Hodges#2493.1 - photo 5
Contributed by Charley Eiseman

Photo credits: Contributed by Charley Eiseman

Frequently Asked Questions About Cycloplasis immaculata - Hodges#2493.1

What is Cycloplasis immaculata - Hodges#2493.1?

Cycloplasis immaculata - Hodges#2493.1 (Cycloplasis immaculata) is a species in the family Unplaced-idae, within the order Lepidoptera.

How do you identify Cycloplasis immaculata - Hodges#2493.1?

Lacks the silvery band on the basal third of the forewing found on the common and widespread Cycloplasis panicifoliella .

Where is Cycloplasis immaculata - Hodges#2493.1 found?

Range: Described from a prairie in Delaware County, OK.

What does Cycloplasis immaculata - Hodges#2493.1 eat?

The diet of the Cycloplasis immaculata - Hodges#2493.1 includes Panicum sp., presumably a Dichanthelium ..

How we use and review source data. Source count does not imply independent verification.

Photo credits: Contributed by Charley Eiseman. Contributors retain copyright over their individual contributions.