Isa schaefferana - Hodges#4680
Isa schaefferana
This record describes Isa schaefferana (species). Recorded family: Limacodidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Zygaenoidea
- Family
- Limacodidae (Slug Caterpillar Moths)
- Genus
- Isa
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
Central Arizona to northern Mexico. MPG records from southwestern New Mexico and west Texas. Type Location: Huachuca Mountains, Arizona.
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Larval hosts are hackberry ( Celtis , Ulmaceae) and soapberry ( Sapindus , Sapindaceae). ( 3 )
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: Named in honor of Mr. Charles Frederick August Schaeffer, entomologist at the Brooklyn Museum, who collected the specimens in the Huachuca Mountains of Arizona.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Isa schaefferana. 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 Isa schaefferana - Hodges#4680 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Maury J. Heiman; Additional contributions by Randy Hardy
Frequently Asked Questions About Isa schaefferana - Hodges#4680
How big is Isa schaefferana - Hodges#4680?
Forewing length 11-13 mm.
Where is Isa schaefferana - Hodges#4680 found?
Range: Central Arizona to northern Mexico. MPG records from southwestern New Mexico and west Texas. Type Location: Huachuca Mountains, Arizona.
What does Isa schaefferana - Hodges#4680 eat?
The diet of the Isa schaefferana - Hodges#4680 includes Larval hosts are hackberry ( Celtis , Ulmaceae) and soapberry ( Sapindus , Sapindaceae). ( 3 ).