Silvered Prominent - Hodges#7961
Didugua argentilinea
This record describes Didugua argentilinea (species). Recorded family: Notodontidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Caterpillar is brilliantly colored and difficult to mistake for anything else that overlaps in range and host plants. The adult moth has two distinctive white markings on the leading margin of each forewing, shaped like the dorsal fin of a shark.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Noctuoidea
- Family
- Notodontidae (Prominent Moths)
- Subfamily
- Nystaleinae
- Genus
- Didugua
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
Southern Texas to Costa Rica.
Seasonal Activity
Caterpillars can apparently be found year-round
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Larval hosts are many and varied, including multiple genera of Sapindaceae (Urvillea, Serjania, possibly Cardispermum); also Turk's-cap (Malvaviscus drummondii; Malvaceae), and unripe seeds of Mesquite (Prosopis spp., Fabaceae) and foliage of assorted trees including Hackberry, Ash, and Brasil.
Life History
Life cycle by Barry Nall
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: argent - Latin for 'silver'
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Didugua argentilinea. 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 Silvered Prominent - Hodges#7961 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Joshua Stuart Rose; Additional contributions by Hannah Nendick-Mason , Mike Quinn , Maury Heiman
Frequently Asked Questions About Silvered Prominent - Hodges#7961
What is Silvered Prominent - Hodges#7961?
Silvered Prominent - Hodges#7961 (Didugua argentilinea) is a species in the family Notodontidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How do you identify Silvered Prominent - Hodges#7961?
Caterpillar is brilliantly colored and difficult to mistake for anything else that overlaps in range and host plants. The adult moth has two distinctive white markings on the leading margin of each forewing, shaped like the dorsal fin of a shark.
Where is Silvered Prominent - Hodges#7961 found?
Range: Southern Texas to Costa Rica.
What does Silvered Prominent - Hodges#7961 eat?
The diet of the Silvered Prominent - Hodges#7961 includes Larval hosts are many and varied, including multiple genera of Sapindaceae (Urvillea, Serjania, possibly Cardispermum); also Turk's-cap (Malvaviscus drummondii; Malvaceae), and unripe seeds of Mesquite (Prosopis spp., Fabaceae) and foliage of assorted trees including Hackberry, Ash, and Brasil..
When is Silvered Prominent - Hodges#7961 active?
Silvered Prominent - Hodges#7961: seasonal activity - Caterpillars can apparently be found year-round.
What is the life cycle of a Silvered Prominent - Hodges#7961?
Life cycle by Barry Nall