Euaontia clarki - Hodges#8568
Euaontia clarki
This record describes Euaontia clarki (species). Recorded family: Erebidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Identification notes
Sexually dimorphic.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Noctuoidea
- Family
- Erebidae
- Subfamily
- Boletobiinae
- Tribe
- Phytometrini
- Genus
- Euaontia
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
California, Nevada, Arizona Holotype from Palm Springs, Riverside County, California.
Seasonal Activity
The main flight period appears to be March to August. ( 3 )
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Euaontia clarki. 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 Euaontia clarki - Hodges#8568 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Maury J. Heiman
Frequently Asked Questions About Euaontia clarki - Hodges#8568
How big is Euaontia clarki - Hodges#8568?
Barnes & McDunnough (1916) listed a wingspan of 20 mm.
How do you identify Euaontia clarki - Hodges#8568?
Sexually dimorphic.
Where is Euaontia clarki - Hodges#8568 found?
Range: California, Nevada, Arizona Holotype from Palm Springs, Riverside County, California.
When is Euaontia clarki - Hodges#8568 active?
Euaontia clarki - Hodges#8568: seasonal activity - The main flight period appears to be March to August. ( 3 ).