Forked Euchlaena - Hodges#6735
Euchlaena deductaria
This record describes Euchlaena deductaria (species). Recorded family: Geometridae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Geometroidea
- Family
- Geometridae (Geometrid Moths)
- Subfamily
- Ennominae
- Tribe
- Angeronini
- Genus
- Euchlaena
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
Type locality: "East Florida".
Seasonal Activity
Adults are on wing from April to August
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: Euchlaena deductaria (Walker, 1860), erroneously treated as a synonym E. pectinaria by Ferguson (in Hodges et. al. (1983) (Checklist), is returned to full species status in Heppner (2004) with Hypagyrtis adoptivaria Hübner [1823] ( nomen oblitum ) (omitted in Pohl & Nanz (eds.) (2023)) and Euchlaena pectinaria of authors not [Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775 as a synonyms. "True" pectinaria , a name treated as a synonym of Odontopera bidentata Clerck, 1759 in Heppner (2004), is Palearctic. Hübner (1796-1805) erroneously included an illustration of the North American species he called " pectinaria ". Hübner [1823], apparently still believing it to be a European species, corrected the misidentification giving it the name adoptivaria , but that name would be later be forgotten.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Euchlaena deductaria. 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 Forked Euchlaena - Hodges#6735 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Charley Eiseman; Additional contributions by Steve Nanz , Maury Heiman , Robert Lord Zimlich , Fyn Kynd
Frequently Asked Questions About Forked Euchlaena - Hodges#6735
How big is Forked Euchlaena - Hodges#6735?
WS ≈ 42mm
Where is Forked Euchlaena - Hodges#6735 found?
Range: Type locality: East Florida.
When is Forked Euchlaena - Hodges#6735 active?
Forked Euchlaena - Hodges#6735: seasonal activity - Adults are on wing from April to August.