Lithariapteryx jubarella - Hodges#2511
Lithariapteryx jubarella
This record describes Lithariapteryx jubarella (species). Recorded family: Heliodinidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Yponomeutoidea
- Family
- Heliodinidae (Sun Moths)
- Genus
- Lithariapteryx
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
Arid areas of Arizona, Nevada, and southern California, including Santa Cruz Island (Powell, 1991).
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Comstock found the adults in association with four o'clock ( Mirabilis ) but the larvae he collected were of another new species. Powell identifies the hosts as desert wishbone-bush ( Mirabilis laevis ), Greene's four o'clock ( Mirabilis greenei ) and snowball sand verbena ( Abronia fragrans ).
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: Lithariapteryx jubarella Comstock, 1940 * phylogenetic sequence #078675
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Lithariapteryx jubarella. 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 Lithariapteryx jubarella - Hodges#2511
How big is Lithariapteryx jubarella - Hodges#2511?
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Forewing | Forewing length 4.5-6.5 mm (Powell, 1991). |
| Wingspan | Wingspan 11.5-12 mm (Comstock, 1940). |
Where is Lithariapteryx jubarella - Hodges#2511 found?
Range: Arid areas of Arizona, Nevada, and southern California, including Santa Cruz Island (Powell, 1991).
What does Lithariapteryx jubarella - Hodges#2511 eat?
The diet of the Lithariapteryx jubarella - Hodges#2511 includes Comstock found the adults in association with four o'clock ( Mirabilis ) but the larvae he collected were of another new species. Powell identifies the hosts as desert wishbone-bush ( Mirabilis laevis ), Greene's four o'clock ( Mirabilis greenei ) and snowball sand verbena ( Abronia fragrans )..