Ecdytolopha nigrita - Hodges#3495.3
Ecdytolopha nigrita
This record describes Ecdytolopha nigrita (species). Recorded family: Tortricidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Ecdytolopha nigrita is distinguished superficially from all other congeners by a combination of its small size and nearly uniform dark brown forewing, with the exception of a contrasting whitish blotch in the tornus .
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Tortricoidea
- Family
- Tortricidae (Tortricid Moths)
- Subfamily
- Olethreutinae
- Tribe
- Grapholitini
- Genus
- Ecdytolopha
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
"Oak forest occasionally mixed with a few pines and junipers, interspersed with riparian habitat" .
Geographic Range
This species is "known from the mountain ranges of southern Arizona (i.e., Baboquivari, Santa Rita, and Chiricahua Mountains), from about 1450–1970m elevation; it is likely that it ranges south into northern Mexico" .
Seasonal Activity
Records from late June to August .
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Unknown .
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: "The specific epithet refers to the black forewing color, i.e., 'nigra,' and the small size of the species, the diminutive 'ita'" .
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Ecdytolopha nigrita. 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 Ecdytolopha nigrita - Hodges#3495.3 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Kyhl Austin
Frequently Asked Questions About Ecdytolopha nigrita - Hodges#3495.3
What is Ecdytolopha nigrita - Hodges#3495.3?
Ecdytolopha nigrita - Hodges#3495.3 (Ecdytolopha nigrita) is a species in the family Tortricidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Ecdytolopha nigrita - Hodges#3495.3?
FWL: 6.0-7.1 mm
How do you identify Ecdytolopha nigrita - Hodges#3495.3?
Ecdytolopha nigrita is distinguished superficially from all other congeners by a combination of its small size and nearly uniform dark brown forewing, with the exception of a contrasting whitish blotch in the tornus .
Where is Ecdytolopha nigrita - Hodges#3495.3 found?
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Habitat | Oak forest occasionally mixed with a few pines and junipers, interspersed with riparian habitat . |
| Range | This species is known from the mountain ranges of southern Arizona (i.e., Baboquivari, Santa Rita, and Chiricahua Mountains), from about 1450–1970m elevation; it is likely that it ranges south into northern Mexico . |
What does Ecdytolopha nigrita - Hodges#3495.3 eat?
The diet of the Ecdytolopha nigrita - Hodges#3495.3 includes Unknown ..
When is Ecdytolopha nigrita - Hodges#3495.3 active?
Ecdytolopha nigrita - Hodges#3495.3: seasonal activity - Records from late June to August ..