Neophisma tropicalis - Hodges#8722
Neophisma tropicalis
This record describes Neophisma tropicalis (species). Recorded family: Erebidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
The species is extremely variable in color and pattern. The white dot at the base of the forewing is distinctive.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Noctuoidea
- Family
- Erebidae
- Subfamily
- Erebinae
- Tribe
- Poaphilini
- Genus
- Neophisma
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
North Carolina to Florida and Texas. Range extends throughout Mexico and the Antilles, south to Argentina.
Seasonal Activity
Adults are most common from May to November. ( 3 ) Heppner (2003) reported Ophisma tropicalis as a stray in Florida. ( 4 )
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Larvae reported on Cupania americana L. (wild ackee). Heppner (2003) reported the host plant as unknown. ( 4 )
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: Neophisma tropicalis (Guenée, 1852), n. comb. (Barbut 2022) (formerly in the genus Ophisma ) is the type species of Neophisma Barbut (2022). This treatment was overlooked in Pohl & Nanz (eds.) (2023).
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Neophisma tropicalis. 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 Neophisma tropicalis - Hodges#8722 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Maury J. Heiman; Additional contributions by Steve Nanz
Frequently Asked Questions About Neophisma tropicalis - Hodges#8722
What is Neophisma tropicalis - Hodges#8722?
Neophisma tropicalis - Hodges#8722 (Neophisma tropicalis) is a species in the family Erebidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How do you identify Neophisma tropicalis - Hodges#8722?
The species is extremely variable in color and pattern. The white dot at the base of the forewing is distinctive.
Where is Neophisma tropicalis - Hodges#8722 found?
Range: North Carolina to Florida and Texas. Range extends throughout Mexico and the Antilles, south to Argentina.
What does Neophisma tropicalis - Hodges#8722 eat?
The diet of the Neophisma tropicalis - Hodges#8722 includes Larvae reported on Cupania americana L. (wild ackee). Heppner (2003) reported the host plant as unknown. ( 4 ).
When is Neophisma tropicalis - Hodges#8722 active?
Neophisma tropicalis - Hodges#8722: seasonal activity - Adults are most common from May to November. ( 3 ) Heppner (2003) reported Ophisma tropicalis as a stray in Florida. ( 4 ).