Ethmia apicipunctella - Hodges#0978
Ethmia apicipunctella
This record describes Ethmia apicipunctella (species). Recorded family: Elachistidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Annika Salzberg used the presence of these features to determine her identification (A) Four black spots grouped closely together (B) Apical black spot that doesn’t extend to edge of wing (this rules out E. longimaculella coranella) (c) Geographic range (rules out several other similar-looking species, mainly Canadian and neotropical ones with similar wing spot patterns)
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Gelechioidea
- Family
- Elachistidae (Grass Miner Moths)
- Subfamily
- Ethmiinae
- Genus
- Ethmia
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
TX, AZ, CO, WY. . Specimens from IN (dissected) by Jim Vargo, verified by Powell. Type Location: TX
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Ethmia apicipunctella. 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 Ethmia apicipunctella - Hodges#0978 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Maury J. Heiman; Additional contributions by Steve Nanz , A. Hendrickson
Frequently Asked Questions About Ethmia apicipunctella - Hodges#0978
What is Ethmia apicipunctella - Hodges#0978?
Ethmia apicipunctella - Hodges#0978 (Ethmia apicipunctella) is a species in the family Elachistidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How do you identify Ethmia apicipunctella - Hodges#0978?
Annika Salzberg used the presence of these features to determine her identification (A) Four black spots grouped closely together (B) Apical black spot that doesn’t extend to edge of wing (this rules out E. longimaculella coranella) (c) Geographic range (rules out several other similar-looking species, mainly Canadian and neotropical ones with similar wing spot patterns)
Where is Ethmia apicipunctella - Hodges#0978 found?
Range: TX, AZ, CO, WY. . Specimens from IN (dissected) by Jim Vargo, verified by Powell. Type Location: TX