Decaturia pectinalis - Hodges#5650
Decaturia pectinalis
This record describes Decaturia pectinalis (species). Recorded family: Pyralidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
See Print References below for the original description. Note, females are lager and have simple antennae and long rostriform labial palps whereas males have pectinate antennae and short labial palpi.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Pyraloidea
- Family
- Pyralidae (Pyralid Moths)
- Subfamily
- Galleriinae
- Tribe
- Cacotherapiini
- Genus
- Decaturia
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
Southern California to Texas.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Decaturia pectinalis. 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 Decaturia pectinalis - Hodges#5650 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Charley Eiseman; Additional contributions by Steve Nanz , Maury Heiman
Frequently Asked Questions About Decaturia pectinalis - Hodges#5650
What is Decaturia pectinalis - Hodges#5650?
Decaturia pectinalis - Hodges#5650 (Decaturia pectinalis) is a species in the family Pyralidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How do you identify Decaturia pectinalis - Hodges#5650?
See Print References below for the original description. Note, females are lager and have simple antennae and long rostriform labial palps whereas males have pectinate antennae and short labial palpi.
Where is Decaturia pectinalis - Hodges#5650 found?
Range: Southern California to Texas.