Iridopsis cypressaria - Hodges#6571
Iridopsis cypressaria
This record describes Iridopsis cypressaria (species). Recorded family: Geometridae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Geometroidea
- Family
- Geometridae (Geometrid Moths)
- Subfamily
- Ennominae
- Tribe
- Boarmiini
- Genus
- Iridopsis
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
Type specimen from Florida; ranges along coastal plain up to North Carolina/Virginia
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Assumed by Grossbeck to feed on cypress, as the specific name indicates
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: Adults of cypressaria were first collected on the trunks of cypress trees
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Iridopsis cypressaria. 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.
Frequently Asked Questions About Iridopsis cypressaria - Hodges#6571
How big is Iridopsis cypressaria - Hodges#6571?
forewing length 11-14 mm, smallest of its cogeners (Rindge, 1966)
Where is Iridopsis cypressaria - Hodges#6571 found?
Range: Type specimen from Florida; ranges along coastal plain up to North Carolina/Virginia
What does Iridopsis cypressaria - Hodges#6571 eat?
The diet of the Iridopsis cypressaria - Hodges#6571 includes Assumed by Grossbeck to feed on cypress, as the specific name indicates.