Red-tailed Specter - Hodges#8141
Euerythra phasma
This record describes Euerythra phasma (species). Recorded family: Erebidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Harvey original description is available online. Uncommon , rare in Florida .
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Noctuoidea
- Family
- Erebidae
- Subfamily
- Arctiinae
- Tribe
- Arctiini
- Genus
- Euerythra
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
Heppner (2003) reported the range to include Kentucky to Florida, Missouri to Texas ( 4 ) . ( 5 ) Moth Photographers Group map ( 6 ) Holotype collected by Belfarge in Texas.
Seasonal Activity
Heppner (2003) reported February to August. ( 5 )
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Covell (1984) reported the host as "unrecorded" ( 3 ) , but Heppner (2003) listed bumelia - Sideroxylon sp. (Sapotaceae) as the host plant. ( 5 )
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: Euerythra phasma Harvey, 1876 Phylogenetic sequence # 930398
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Euerythra phasma. 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 Red-tailed Specter - Hodges#8141 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Jason D. Roberts; Additional contributions by Mike Quinn , Maury Heiman
Frequently Asked Questions About Red-tailed Specter - Hodges#8141
What is Red-tailed Specter - Hodges#8141?
Red-tailed Specter - Hodges#8141 (Euerythra phasma) is a species in the family Erebidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Red-tailed Specter - Hodges#8141?
Harvey listed a wingspan of 38 mm. Wingspan ranges 31-38 mm.
How do you identify Red-tailed Specter - Hodges#8141?
Harvey original description is available online.
Where is Red-tailed Specter - Hodges#8141 found?
Range: Heppner (2003) reported the range to include Kentucky to Florida, Missouri to Texas ( 4 ) . ( 5 ) Moth Photographers Group map ( 6 ) Holotype collected by Belfarge in Texas.
What does Red-tailed Specter - Hodges#8141 eat?
The diet of the Red-tailed Specter - Hodges#8141 includes Covell (1984) reported the host as unrecorded ( 3 ) , but Heppner (2003) listed bumelia - Sideroxylon sp. (Sapotaceae) as the host plant. ( 5 ).
When is Red-tailed Specter - Hodges#8141 active?
Red-tailed Specter - Hodges#8141: seasonal activity - Heppner (2003) reported February to August. ( 5 ).