Santa Ana Tussock Moth - Hodges#8216
Lophocampa annulosa
This record describes Lophocampa annulosa (species). Recorded family: Erebidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Adult - tan tussock moth with chainlike light brown markings, a brown PM line with a small white dot, and near the trailing edge of the wings is a small dark brown dot. Many of the caterpillars posted here were originally posted as Lophocmapa catenulata. But during a conversation with Bob Patterson about MPG, Bob pointed out that Neither the number 8216.1 nor the species Lophocampa catenulata is on the North American checklist. Chris Schmidt, the authority on Arctiinae, noted that the catenulata-like species from south TX is L. annulosa, and may in fact be the same species as the Costa Rican L. catenulata, but this needs work still. We're moving all the images here, till more work is done.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Noctuoidea
- Family
- Erebidae
- Subfamily
- Arctiinae
- Tribe
- Arctiini
- Genus
- Lophocampa
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
southern Texas, southern Arizona and south into South America. Type locality: Venezuela
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: Specific name annulosa is Latin meaning "ringed."
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Lophocampa annulosa. 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 Santa Ana Tussock Moth - Hodges#8216 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by tom murray; Additional contributions by john and jane balaban , Robin McLeod , Mike Quinn , Randy Hardy
Frequently Asked Questions About Santa Ana Tussock Moth - Hodges#8216
What is Santa Ana Tussock Moth - Hodges#8216?
Santa Ana Tussock Moth - Hodges#8216 (Lophocampa annulosa) is a species in the family Erebidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How do you identify Santa Ana Tussock Moth - Hodges#8216?
Adult - tan tussock moth with chainlike light brown markings, a brown PM line with a small white dot, and near the trailing edge of the wings is a small dark brown dot.
Where is Santa Ana Tussock Moth - Hodges#8216 found?
Range: southern Texas, southern Arizona and south into South America. Type locality: Venezuela