Ursus Giant Skipper - Hodges#4151
Megathymus ursus
This record describes Megathymus ursus (species). Recorded family: Hesperiidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Type Locality: Pinal County, Arizona; defined as Santa Catalina Mountains, west of Redington, Pima Co., Arizona by Freeman (1969).
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Papilionoidea
- Family
- Hesperiidae (Skippers)
- Subfamily
- Hesperiinae
- Tribe
- Megathymini
- Genus
- Megathymus
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
AZ to w. TX / n. Mex
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Larva on Yucca madrensis (Syn: Y. schottii ) (Agavaceae) (Freeman, 1969)
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: ursa (L). 'a bear'
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Megathymus ursus. 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 Ursus Giant Skipper - Hodges#4151 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by David J. Ferguson; Additional contributions by Mike Quinn , Maury Heiman , margarethe brummermann
Frequently Asked Questions About Ursus Giant Skipper - Hodges#4151
What is Ursus Giant Skipper - Hodges#4151?
Ursus Giant Skipper - Hodges#4151 (Megathymus ursus) is a species in the family Hesperiidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
Where is Ursus Giant Skipper - Hodges#4151 found?
Range: AZ to w. TX / n. Mex
What does Ursus Giant Skipper - Hodges#4151 eat?
The diet of the Ursus Giant Skipper - Hodges#4151 includes Larva on Yucca madrensis (Syn: Y. schottii ) (Agavaceae) (Freeman, 1969).