Dyotopasta yumaella - Hodges#0322
Dyotopasta yumaella
This record describes Dyotopasta yumaella (species). Recorded family: Tineidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Commonly found in association with Melitara (pricklypear borer) larvae. ( 4 )
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Tineoidea
- Family
- Tineidae (Clothes Moths)
- Subfamily
- Tineinae
- Genus
- Dyotopasta
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
Deserts
Geographic Range
Powell & Opler reports the range as Texas to California, south to Puebla, Mexico. Moth Photographers Group includes southern Nevada.
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Mann report the larvae feed on dead tissue of the cactus species Opuntia and Echinocereus . Powell & Opler include the dead trunks of the boojum tree ( Fouquieria columnaris ).
Life History
From GeoResources Institute Publication #5014, p. 43: "...one species has been identified by Dr. Don Davis, Smithsonian Institution, as Dyotopasta yumaella Kft. (Tineidae), a species for which the caterpillar has not been described. This tineid caterpillar, which exceeds one inch in length and is whitish in color, feeds gregariously in the cladole, similar to Cactoblastis ." "Cladole" apparently refers to the green segments/pads of the cactus.
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: Specific epithet for Yuma County, Arizona, where many of the first specimens were collected.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Dyotopasta yumaella. 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 Dyotopasta yumaella - Hodges#0322 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Chuck Entz; Additional contributions by Maury Heiman , Randy Hardy
Frequently Asked Questions About Dyotopasta yumaella - Hodges#0322
What is Dyotopasta yumaella - Hodges#0322?
Dyotopasta yumaella - Hodges#0322 (Dyotopasta yumaella) is a species in the family Tineidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Dyotopasta yumaella - Hodges#0322?
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Wingspan | Wingspan 16-27 mm. |
| Forewing | Forewing length 7.5-15.5 mm. |
Where is Dyotopasta yumaella - Hodges#0322 found?
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Habitat | Deserts |
| Range | Powell & Opler reports the range as Texas to California, south to Puebla, Mexico. Moth Photographers Group includes southern Nevada. |
What does Dyotopasta yumaella - Hodges#0322 eat?
The diet of the Dyotopasta yumaella - Hodges#0322 includes Mann report the larvae feed on dead tissue of the cactus species Opuntia and Echinocereus . Powell & Opler include the dead trunks of the boojum tree ( Fouquieria columnaris )..
What is the life cycle of a Dyotopasta yumaella - Hodges#0322?
From GeoResources Institute Publication #5014, p. 43: ...one species has been identified by Dr. Don Davis, Smithsonian Institution, as Dyotopasta yumaella Kft. (Tineidae), a species for which the caterpillar has not been described. This tineid caterpillar, which exceeds one inch in length and is whitish in color, feeds gregariously in the cladole, similar to Cactoblastis . Cladole apparently refers to the green segments/pads of the cactus.