Eriocraniella platyptera - Hodges#0010
Eriocraniella platyptera
This record describes Eriocraniella platyptera (species). Recorded family: Eriocraniidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Adult : FW relatively broad and immaculate dark fuscous with a prominent golden brassy to blue green iridescence. HW much paler, grayish fuscous with a slight purplish luster. The scales are moderately broad. Genitalia:
Wikipedia reference for Eriocraniella platyptera: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eriocraniella_platyptera.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Eriocranioidea
- Family
- Eriocraniidae (Eriocraniid Moths)
- Genus
- Eriocraniella
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
New York & Massachusetts (Eiseman 2016)
Seasonal Activity
Adults are on wing in May in one generation per year.
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Larvae mine leaves of oaks, including Quercus ilicifolia (Eiseman 2016).
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: Author: Davis, 1978
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Eriocraniella platyptera. 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 Eriocraniella platyptera - Hodges#0010 (3)
Photo credits: Contributed by Charley Eiseman; Additional contributions by Beatriz Moisset , Robert Lord Zimlich , marcie oconnor , Robert H. Biagi
Frequently Asked Questions About Eriocraniella platyptera - Hodges#0010
What is Eriocraniella platyptera - Hodges#0010?
Eriocraniella platyptera - Hodges#0010 (Eriocraniella platyptera) is a species in the family Eriocraniidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Eriocraniella platyptera - Hodges#0010?
Forewing length 3.0-3.5 mm; wingspan of male = 7-8 mm, female = 8.2 mm (based on the type series of three specimens) (Davis 1978).
How do you identify Eriocraniella platyptera - Hodges#0010?
Adult : FW relatively broad and immaculate dark fuscous with a prominent golden brassy to blue green iridescence. HW much paler, grayish fuscous with a slight purplish luster. The scales are moderately broad. Genitalia:
Where is Eriocraniella platyptera - Hodges#0010 found?
Range: New York & Massachusetts (Eiseman 2016)
What does Eriocraniella platyptera - Hodges#0010 eat?
The diet of the Eriocraniella platyptera - Hodges#0010 includes Larvae mine leaves of oaks, including Quercus ilicifolia (Eiseman 2016)..
When is Eriocraniella platyptera - Hodges#0010 active?
Eriocraniella platyptera - Hodges#0010: seasonal activity - Adults are on wing in May in one generation per year..