Matigramma obscurior - Hodges#8681
Matigramma obscurior
This record describes Matigramma obscurior (species). Recorded family: Erebidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
The darkest and most evenly colored of the Matigramma species. Genitalia: ♀ ♂
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Noctuoidea
- Family
- Erebidae
- Subfamily
- Erebinae
- Tribe
- Omopterini
- Genus
- Matigramma
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
Southern Arizona, southern Texas (Cameron and Hidalgo counties in the LRGV; north to Uvalde, Medina, and Gonzales counties). Moth Photographers Group - large range map with collection dates.
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Larval host is unknown.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Matigramma obscurior. 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 Matigramma obscurior - Hodges#8681 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Maury J. Heiman; Additional contributions by Chuck Sexton , Randy Hardy , Robert H. Biagi
Frequently Asked Questions About Matigramma obscurior - Hodges#8681
What is Matigramma obscurior - Hodges#8681?
Matigramma obscurior - Hodges#8681 (Matigramma obscurior) is a species in the family Erebidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Matigramma obscurior - Hodges#8681?
Forewing length 17-18 mm.
How do you identify Matigramma obscurior - Hodges#8681?
The darkest and most evenly colored of the Matigramma species. Genitalia: ♀ ♂
Where is Matigramma obscurior - Hodges#8681 found?
Range: Southern Arizona, southern Texas (Cameron and Hidalgo counties in the LRGV; north to Uvalde, Medina, and Gonzales counties). Moth Photographers Group - large range map with collection dates.
What does Matigramma obscurior - Hodges#8681 eat?
The diet of the Matigramma obscurior - Hodges#8681 includes Larval host is unknown..