Tiny Checkerspot - Hodges#4511
Microtia dymas
This record describes Microtia dymas (species). Recorded family: Nymphalidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Most like Microtia elada , differing in having no orange margin along the edge of the lower hind wing (or rarely a trace of orange in the black margin), and often with a pale to whitish spot near the middle of the front edge of the upper front wing. There is usually a row of black-edged orange spots along the top middle of the abdomen (occasionally in females the black may be reduced so that the abdomen is nearly solid orange on top). Type Locality: San Antonio, Texas [Bexar County]
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Papilionoidea
- Family
- Nymphalidae (Brush-footed Butterflies)
- Subfamily
- Nymphalinae
- Tribe
- Melitaeini
- Genus
- Microtia (Tiny Checkerspots)
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
so CA to so. TX / ne. Mex - MAP (MPG)
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Microtia dymas. 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 Tiny Checkerspot - Hodges#4511 (2)
Photo credits: Contributed by David J. Ferguson; Additional contributions by Tom Bentley , Mike Quinn
Frequently Asked Questions About Tiny Checkerspot - Hodges#4511
What is Tiny Checkerspot - Hodges#4511?
Tiny Checkerspot - Hodges#4511 (Microtia dymas) is a species in the family Nymphalidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How do you identify Tiny Checkerspot - Hodges#4511?
Most like Microtia elada , differing in having no orange margin along the edge of the lower hind wing (or rarely a trace of orange in the black margin), and often with a pale to whitish spot near the middle of the front edge of the upper front wing. There is usually a row of black-edged orange spots along the top middle of the abdomen (occasionally in females the black may be reduced so that the abdomen is nearly solid orange on top).
Where is Tiny Checkerspot - Hodges#4511 found?
Range: so CA to so. TX / ne. Mex - MAP (MPG)