Dusty Lined Matigramma - Hodges#8679
Matigramma pulverilinea
This record describes Matigramma pulverilinea (species). Recorded family: Erebidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
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
Florida to Texas, north to Kansas, Missouri, and Kentucky; type specimens (male & female) collected in Alabama. Apparently the only Matigramma species that occurs north of the southern tier of states.
Seasonal Activity
Adults fly from April to September.
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: PULVERILINEA; from the Latin "pulveris" (dust) + "linea" (a line); probably refers to the wavy lines and scattered pale scales resembling dust on the forewing, and is the origin of the suggested common name, Dusty Lined Matigramma
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Matigramma pulverilinea. 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 Dusty Lined Matigramma - Hodges#8679 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Robin McLeod; Additional contributions by Randy Hardy
Frequently Asked Questions About Dusty Lined Matigramma - Hodges#8679
How big is Dusty Lined Matigramma - Hodges#8679?
forewing length 13-17 mm
Where is Dusty Lined Matigramma - Hodges#8679 found?
Range: Florida to Texas, north to Kansas, Missouri, and Kentucky; type specimens (male & female) collected in Alabama. Apparently the only Matigramma species that occurs north of the southern tier of states.
When is Dusty Lined Matigramma - Hodges#8679 active?
Dusty Lined Matigramma - Hodges#8679: seasonal activity - Adults fly from April to September..