LepidopteraNoctuidae – Owlet Moths

Feltia inyoca - Hodges#10670.1

Feltia inyoca

This record describes Feltia inyoca (species). Recorded family: Noctuidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.

Identification and Appearance

Feltia inyoca - Hodges#10670.1 - Feltia inyoca
Contributed by Steve Nanz; Additional contributions by Steve Morris

This species and Feltia evanidalis are disjunct Californian relatives of jaculifera. Feltia inyoca is characterized by 1) the shape of the claviform spot, which is longer (4x as long as basal width) than that of evanidalis but shorter than in jaculifera , 2) the smoother looking forewing, probably because of the lack of pale streaking in the subterminal area, 3) the broader male antennae, and 4) the scarcity of females (only two females are known compared with almost 100 males. The male antenna is about 3 X as wide as the central shaft, about 6 X as wide including the setae (in jaculifera the male antenna is about 2 X as wide as the central shaft, 4 X including the setae); evanidalis is more similar to inyoca in this character, but the antennal serrations are slightly shorter in inyoca and the setae slightly longer. Females of inyoca are very rare; they are narrower winged than are males and probably do not fly as readily as males. Females of evanidalis are also rarely seen, unlike those of jaulifera. The male genitalia are most similar to those of jaculifera; the clasper is 0.37-0.39 X as long as the valve in inyoca (0.34-0.39 X in jaculifera, 0.40-0.43 X in evanidalis). Lafontaine further states: Feltia inyoca is positively known only from Inyo county, California, where adults have been collected between late August and mid-October. A single male in LACM labeled Palm Springs but without collector or date requires further confirmation. [the unclosed parenthesis above, preceding only two females is as printed in the description].

Classification

Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Arthropoda
Class
Insecta
Order
Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
Superfamily
Noctuoidea
Family
Noctuidae (Owlet Moths)
Subfamily
Noctuinae
Tribe
Noctuini
Genus
Feltia

Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.

About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group

Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Feltia inyoca. 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.

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Photos of Feltia inyoca - Hodges#10670.1 (2)

Feltia inyoca - Hodges#10670.1 - photo 1
Contributed by Steve Nanz; Additional contributions by Steve Morris
Feltia inyoca - Hodges#10670.1 - photo 2
Contributed by Steve Nanz; Additional contributions by Steve Morris

Photo credits: Contributed by Steve Nanz; Additional contributions by Steve Morris

How we use and review source data. Source count does not imply independent verification.

Photo credits: Contributed by Steve Nanz; Additional contributions by Steve Morris. Contributors retain copyright over their individual contributions.