Filatima biminimaculella - Hodges#2136
Filatima biminimaculella
This record describes Filatima biminimaculella (species). Recorded family: Gelechiidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
A brown moth similar to Filatima pseudoacaciella (Chambers, 1872) with small ochreous spot on each side of the apex of the thorax as noted above.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Gelechioidea
- Family
- Gelechiidae (Twirler Moths)
- Subfamily
- Gelechiinae
- Tribe
- Gelechiini
- Genus
- Filatima
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
MPG records range from Maryland south to Florida, west to central Texas, north to Oklahoma, Arkansas and Tennessee.
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: "Biminimaculella" is probably from Latin bis- "double,twice" + minium- "a red mineral" + macula- "spot" + the ending -ella, which adds the meaning of "little". The species description mentions "a small ochreous spot on each side of the apex of the thorax"
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Filatima biminimaculella. 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 Filatima biminimaculella - Hodges#2136 (2)
Photo credits: Contributed by Chuck Entz; Additional contributions by Steve Nanz , Randy Hardy
Frequently Asked Questions About Filatima biminimaculella - Hodges#2136
What is Filatima biminimaculella - Hodges#2136?
Filatima biminimaculella - Hodges#2136 (Filatima biminimaculella) is a species in the family Gelechiidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How do you identify Filatima biminimaculella - Hodges#2136?
A brown moth similar to Filatima pseudoacaciella (Chambers, 1872) with small ochreous spot on each side of the apex of the thorax as noted above.
Where is Filatima biminimaculella - Hodges#2136 found?
Range: MPG records range from Maryland south to Florida, west to central Texas, north to Oklahoma, Arkansas and Tennessee.