Hypotrix optima - Hodges#10604
Hypotrix optima
This record describes Hypotrix optima (species). Recorded family: Noctuidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
The mainly orange and gray pattern is dominated by the pale yellow shading around the orbicular spot that forms a flat-bottomed wedge mark between the dark gray reniform and orbicular spots, and the yellow streak at the forewing apex. Dark-gray shading in the basal area, on the reniform and orbicular spots, and in the subterminal area gives the forewing a distinctive blotchy look. The hindwing is translucent white in both sexes .
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Noctuoidea
- Family
- Noctuidae (Owlet Moths)
- Subfamily
- Noctuinae
- Tribe
- Eriopygini
- Genus
- Hypotrix
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
This species "occurs from southeastern Arizona and central New Mexico southward to Mexico City" .
Seasonal Activity
Collecting dates range from mid-June to mid-July .
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Hypotrix optima. 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 Hypotrix optima - Hodges#10604 (2)
Photo credits: Contributed by Kyhl Austin
Frequently Asked Questions About Hypotrix optima - Hodges#10604
What is Hypotrix optima - Hodges#10604?
Hypotrix optima - Hodges#10604 (Hypotrix optima) is a species in the family Noctuidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Hypotrix optima - Hodges#10604?
FWL: 11 to 14 mm .
How do you identify Hypotrix optima - Hodges#10604?
The mainly orange and gray pattern is dominated by the pale yellow shading around the orbicular spot that forms a flat-bottomed wedge mark between the dark gray reniform and orbicular spots, and the yellow streak at the forewing apex. Dark-gray shading in the basal area, on the reniform and orbicular spots, and in the subterminal area gives the forewing a distinctive blotchy look. The hindwing is translucent white in both sexes .
Where is Hypotrix optima - Hodges#10604 found?
Range: This species occurs from southeastern Arizona and central New Mexico southward to Mexico City .
When is Hypotrix optima - Hodges#10604 active?
Hypotrix optima - Hodges#10604: seasonal activity - Collecting dates range from mid-June to mid-July ..