Holophysis emblemella - Hodges#2255
Holophysis emblemella
This record describes Holophysis emblemella (species). Recorded family: Gelechiidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Adult - forewing brown-black, with steel-blue markings: a basal band, and antemedial band from costa across cell, a very irregular, narrower medial band, partly fused with the discal dot and forked toward inner margin, a costal spot four-fifths way out to apex, and a subterminal band reaching two-thirds way to costa and very irregular on outer side. The bands easily become dulled in old specimens. ( 4 )
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Gelechioidea
- Family
- Gelechiidae (Twirler Moths)
- Subfamily
- Anacampsinae
- Tribe
- Anacampsini
- Genus
- Holophysis
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
Records from Illinois to Pennsylvania, south to Florida and Alabama. ( 5 )
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Larval host is buckeye ( Aesculus ). ( 6 ) , ( 4 )
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: Specific epithet from Latin meaning "mosaic, emblem."
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Holophysis emblemella. 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 Holophysis emblemella - Hodges#2255 (2)
Photo credits: Contributed by Randy Hardy
Frequently Asked Questions About Holophysis emblemella - Hodges#2255
What is Holophysis emblemella - Hodges#2255?
Holophysis emblemella - Hodges#2255 (Holophysis emblemella) is a species in the family Gelechiidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Holophysis emblemella - Hodges#2255?
Forewing length 9 mm. ( 4 )
How do you identify Holophysis emblemella - Hodges#2255?
Adult - forewing brown-black, with steel-blue markings: a basal band, and antemedial band from costa across cell, a very irregular, narrower medial band, partly fused with the discal dot and forked toward inner margin, a costal spot four-fifths way out to apex, and a subterminal band reaching two-thirds way to costa and very irregular on outer side. The bands easily become dulled in old specimens. ( 4 )
Where is Holophysis emblemella - Hodges#2255 found?
Range: Records from Illinois to Pennsylvania, south to Florida and Alabama. ( 5 )
What does Holophysis emblemella - Hodges#2255 eat?
The diet of the Holophysis emblemella - Hodges#2255 includes Larval host is buckeye ( Aesculus ). ( 6 ) , ( 4 ).