Enaemia rubritegula - Hodges#2404.1
Enaemia rubritegula
This record describes Enaemia rubritegula (species). Recorded family: Lacturidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
See . Lactura rubritegula can be easily distinguished from its closest relative L.basistriga by the presence of red tegulae. It lacks the red subcostal dash that can be found in most forms of L. basistriga and the scattered flecking of red or brown scales characteristic of L. subfervens (Matson & Wagner 2017)
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Zygaenoidea
- Family
- Lacturidae (Tropical Burnet Moths)
- Genus
- Enaemia
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
Currently found in the Limestone and riparian areas around San Antonio and westward to Edwards and Uvalde counties.
Geographic Range
Currently known principally from the southern Hill Country in the vicinity of San Antonio, westward to Edwards and Uvalde Counties but the range may extend now that it has been described.
Seasonal Activity
Specimens studied so far fly principally in the second half of April and the first half of May.
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Sideroxylon lanuginosum (gum bully) - in captivity feeds mostly on the undersides of the leaves and prefers new growth.
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: Enaemia rubritegula (Matson & Wagner, 2017), n. sp., ZooKeys, 711: 107, n. comb. in Heppner (2019), was formerly in the genus Lactura .
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Enaemia rubritegula. 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 Enaemia rubritegula - Hodges#2404.1 (3)
Photo credits: Contributed by Maury J. Heiman; Additional contributions by Steve Nanz , A. Hendrickson
Frequently Asked Questions About Enaemia rubritegula - Hodges#2404.1
What is Enaemia rubritegula - Hodges#2404.1?
Enaemia rubritegula - Hodges#2404.1 (Enaemia rubritegula) is a species in the family Lacturidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How do you identify Enaemia rubritegula - Hodges#2404.1?
See . Lactura rubritegula can be easily distinguished from its closest relative L.basistriga by the presence of red tegulae. It lacks the red subcostal dash that can be found in most forms of L. basistriga and the scattered flecking of red or brown scales characteristic of L. subfervens (Matson & Wagner 2017)
Where is Enaemia rubritegula - Hodges#2404.1 found?
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Habitat | Currently found in the Limestone and riparian areas around San Antonio and westward to Edwards and Uvalde counties. |
| Range | Currently known principally from the southern Hill Country in the vicinity of San Antonio, westward to Edwards and Uvalde Counties but the range may extend now that it has been described. |
What does Enaemia rubritegula - Hodges#2404.1 eat?
The diet of the Enaemia rubritegula - Hodges#2404.1 includes Sideroxylon lanuginosum (gum bully) - in captivity feeds mostly on the undersides of the leaves and prefers new growth..
When is Enaemia rubritegula - Hodges#2404.1 active?
Enaemia rubritegula - Hodges#2404.1: seasonal activity - Specimens studied so far fly principally in the second half of April and the first half of May..