Mouralia tinctoides - Hodges#8884
Mouralia tinctoides
This record describes Mouralia tinctoides (species). Recorded family: Noctuidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Noctuoidea
- Family
- Noctuidae (Owlet Moths)
- Subfamily
- Plusiinae
- Tribe
- Abrostolini
- Genus
- Mouralia
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
Native populations from the southeast Unites States to Texas; apparently introduced to California before 1935.
Seasonal Activity
August through April.
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Larvae feed on spiderworts including small-leaf spiderwort ( Tradescantia fluminensis ) and inchplant ( T. zebrina ) (Eichlin & Cunningham, 1978). ( 3 )
Life History
Comstock & Dammers describe egg, 7 instars, and pupa in great detail.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Mouralia tinctoides. 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 Mouralia tinctoides - Hodges#8884 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Chris Mallory; Additional contributions by Maury Heiman , Randy Hardy
Frequently Asked Questions About Mouralia tinctoides - Hodges#8884
How big is Mouralia tinctoides - Hodges#8884?
Forewing length 1.7-2.0 cm. Larva to 3.8 cm. (Comstock & Dammers, 1936) Pupa 21 mm. (Comstock & Dammers, 1936)
Where is Mouralia tinctoides - Hodges#8884 found?
Range: Native populations from the southeast Unites States to Texas; apparently introduced to California before 1935.
What does Mouralia tinctoides - Hodges#8884 eat?
The diet of the Mouralia tinctoides - Hodges#8884 includes Larvae feed on spiderworts including small-leaf spiderwort ( Tradescantia fluminensis ) and inchplant ( T. zebrina ) (Eichlin & Cunningham, 1978). ( 3 ).
When is Mouralia tinctoides - Hodges#8884 active?
Mouralia tinctoides - Hodges#8884: seasonal activity - August through April..
What is the life cycle of a Mouralia tinctoides - Hodges#8884?
Comstock & Dammers describe egg, 7 instars, and pupa in great detail.