Mexican Umber Skipper
Lon vitellina
This record describes Lon vitellina (species). Recorded family: Hesperiidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Nearly identical to Lon melane , however ranges do not overlap
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Papilionoidea
- Family
- Hesperiidae (Skippers)
- Subfamily
- Hesperiinae
- Tribe
- Hesperiini
- Genus
- Lon
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
Resident in Big Bend NP (Brewster, TX), possible resident or vagrant to SE AZ and SW NM, south through Mexico to Oaxaca
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Lon vitellina. 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 Mexican Umber Skipper
What is Mexican Umber Skipper?
Mexican Umber Skipper (Lon vitellina) is a species in the family Hesperiidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How do you identify Mexican Umber Skipper?
Nearly identical to Lon melane , however ranges do not overlap
Where is Mexican Umber Skipper found?
Range: Resident in Big Bend NP (Brewster, TX), possible resident or vagrant to SE AZ and SW NM, south through Mexico to Oaxaca