Marathyssa minus - Hodges#8956.1
Marathyssa minus
This record describes Marathyssa minus (species). Recorded family: Euteliidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Lafontaine & Schmidt (2010, p. 129) elevated minus to full species status stating, DNA barcode data supports the recognition of the phenotypically distinct taxon Marathyssa minus as a species separate from M. inficita of which minus was previously treated as a subspecies. That said, Dyar's original 1921 description provides little in the way of help to separate the two species and images on the BOLD website are primarily of very worn specimens or show underwings only.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Noctuoidea
- Family
- Euteliidae
- Subfamily
- Euteliinae
- Genus
- Marathyssa
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
Texas to Arizona. Holotype collected in Sabinal, Texas.
Seasonal Activity
Adults are most common from May to August.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Marathyssa minus. 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 Marathyssa minus - Hodges#8956.1 (2)
Photo credits: Contributed by Maury J. Heiman; Additional contributions by Steve Nanz , Chuck Sexton , Blocky
Frequently Asked Questions About Marathyssa minus - Hodges#8956.1
What is Marathyssa minus - Hodges#8956.1?
Marathyssa minus - Hodges#8956.1 (Marathyssa minus) is a species in the family Euteliidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
Where is Marathyssa minus - Hodges#8956.1 found?
Range: Texas to Arizona. Holotype collected in Sabinal, Texas.
When is Marathyssa minus - Hodges#8956.1 active?
Marathyssa minus - Hodges#8956.1: seasonal activity - Adults are most common from May to August..