Dichomeris kimballi - Hodges#2310.1
Dichomeris kimballi
This record describes Dichomeris kimballi (species). Recorded family: Gelechiidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Dichomeris kimballi has a dark mid-costal mark. The DNA tested specimen below by Mark Dreiling is in a BIN group, BOLD:AAE7515 , with specimens from OK, TX, LA and FL identified as both species, but all have the costal mark and the BIN is well separated from BINs containing specimens which match Hodges' description of inversella . No DNA barcoded specimens from coastal plain states except for Florida match the description of kimballi . All those from Florida are in BIN BOLD:AAE7515. This conflicts with the range given by Hodges (1986).
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Gelechioidea
- Family
- Gelechiidae (Twirler Moths)
- Subfamily
- Dichomeridinae
- Genus
- Dichomeris
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
According to Hodges, the range of D. kimballi is restricted to the coastal plain. However, online records here and on iNaturalist and BOLD also include inland locations in the Southeast US west to TX and OK, though not in the Midwest or interior Northeast.
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: Dichomeris kimballi Hodges, 1986 * phylogenetic sequence #071650
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Dichomeris kimballi. 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 Dichomeris kimballi - Hodges#2310.1 (2)
Photo credits: Contributed by Charley Eiseman; Additional contributions by Steve Nanz , Randy Hardy , Ken Childs , Blocky
Frequently Asked Questions About Dichomeris kimballi - Hodges#2310.1
What is Dichomeris kimballi - Hodges#2310.1?
Dichomeris kimballi - Hodges#2310.1 (Dichomeris kimballi) is a species in the family Gelechiidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How do you identify Dichomeris kimballi - Hodges#2310.1?
Dichomeris kimballi has a dark mid-costal mark. The DNA tested specimen below by Mark Dreiling is in a BIN group, BOLD:AAE7515 , with specimens from OK, TX, LA and FL identified as both species, but all have the costal mark and the BIN is well separated from BINs containing specimens which match Hodges' description of inversella . No DNA barcoded specimens from coastal plain states except for Florida match the description of kimballi . All those from Florida are in BIN BOLD:AAE7515. This conflicts with the range given by Hodges (1986).
Where is Dichomeris kimballi - Hodges#2310.1 found?
Range: According to Hodges, the range of D. kimballi is restricted to the coastal plain. However, online records here and on iNaturalist and BOLD also include inland locations in the Southeast US west to TX and OK, though not in the Midwest or interior Northeast.