Donacaula aquilellus - Hodges#5317
Donacaula aquilellus
This record describes Donacaula aquilellus (species). Recorded family: Crambidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
BOLD:AAA4101 appears to correspond to this species as treated by Martínez.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Pyraloidea
- Family
- Crambidae (Crambid Snout Moths)
- Subfamily
- Schoenobiinae
- Genus
- Donacaula
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
"Larvae are stem borers in the cordgrass of salt marshes, living well down in the stem toward the roots, which are below high tide level. The species appears to be associated with this grass in the intertidal zone of all the larger salt marshes in Nova Scotia and is often very abundant" (Ferguson, 1975).
Geographic Range
Martínez designated as neotype a male specimen from Orient, Long Island, NY. The other specimens (16 f and 25 m) examined in the revision are from MS, AL, GA, SC, NC, NJ, Martha's Vineyard, Cape Cod, and several additional towns on Long Island. The species is known exclusively from saltmarsh habitats.
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Larvae have been reported as borers of saltmarsh cordgrass ( Spartina alternifolia )
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Donacaula aquilellus. 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 Donacaula aquilellus - Hodges#5317 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Aaron Hunt
Frequently Asked Questions About Donacaula aquilellus - Hodges#5317
What is Donacaula aquilellus - Hodges#5317?
Donacaula aquilellus - Hodges#5317 (Donacaula aquilellus) is a species in the family Crambidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
Where is Donacaula aquilellus - Hodges#5317 found?
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Habitat | Larvae are stem borers in the cordgrass of salt marshes, living well down in the stem toward the roots, which are below high tide level. The species appears to be associated with this grass in the intertidal zone of all the larger salt marshes in Nova Scotia and is often very abundant (Ferguson, 1975). |
| Range | Martínez designated as neotype a male specimen from Orient, Long Island, NY. The other specimens (16 f and 25 m) examined in the revision are from MS, AL, GA, SC, NC, NJ, Martha's Vineyard, Cape Cod, and several additional towns on Long Island. The species is known exclusively from saltmarsh habitats. |
What does Donacaula aquilellus - Hodges#5317 eat?
The diet of the Donacaula aquilellus - Hodges#5317 includes Larvae have been reported as borers of saltmarsh cordgrass ( Spartina alternifolia ).