Nudorthodes texana - Hodges#10560
Nudorthodes texana
This record describes Nudorthodes texana (species). Recorded family: Noctuidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Comes in tan-brown and gray color forms. AM and PM lines are single, narrow, black; AM jagged, PM sinuous with a sharp basal turn close to the costa. Basal area is uniformly tan-brown or gray. Pale orbicular and reniform spots are mostly outlined in black; reniform spot has some dusky shading in dorsal (inner) half; small black-outlined claviform spot is present. Median area may be slightly darker than basal and subterminal areas, and the orbicular and reniform spots may be connected by a black line. Black PM line is broadly shaded with pale ground color distally and there are usually a dusky subterminal line bordering the pale area distally, thickest beyond the reniform spot; this dusky subterminal line is more prominent in western populations (see next). See other identification information on the Pacific Northwest Moths species page . All of the specimens barcoded to date on the BOLD website are from the western populations from Arizona north to Oregon. These examples and those illustrated on the Pacific NW website are slightly but recognizably different from Texas/Oklahoma examples (iNaturalist, BugGuide) and there is a wide geographical divide between these populations . Although Lafontaine et al. did not separate these , caution is advised; these may represent two cryptic species [C. Sexton]. Genitalia:
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Noctuoidea
- Family
- Noctuidae (Owlet Moths)
- Subfamily
- Noctuinae
- Tribe
- Eriopygini
- Genus
- Nudorthodes
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
See comments on the Pacific Northwest Moths species page ( 3 ) .
Geographic Range
This species "occurs from the intermontane region of Washington, Oregon, Nevada, and Utah southward to southern California and Arizona and southeastward to the Gulf Coast of Texas" .
Seasonal Activity
"Adults were collected rarely in the spring, mostly in March; the second generation occurs from mid-August to mid-November with the flight earlier in the North than in the extreme South" . Flight dates in Texas range from September 14 to November 9, peaking in October (iNaturalist, BG). A single March record from Texas is suspect.
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Erodium cicutarium and Haplopappus heterophyllus ( 4 ) .
Life History
Larvae were described by Crumb (1956) ( 4 ) and Godfrey (1972) ( 5 ) .
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Nudorthodes texana. 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 Nudorthodes texana - Hodges#10560 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Kyhl Austin; Additional contributions by Chuck Sexton , Robert H. Biagi , Steve Morris
Frequently Asked Questions About Nudorthodes texana - Hodges#10560
What is Nudorthodes texana - Hodges#10560?
Nudorthodes texana - Hodges#10560 (Nudorthodes texana) is a species in the family Noctuidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Nudorthodes texana - Hodges#10560?
FWL: 12 to 14 mm ( 3 ) .
How do you identify Nudorthodes texana - Hodges#10560?
Comes in tan-brown and gray color forms. AM and PM lines are single, narrow, black; AM jagged, PM sinuous with a sharp basal turn close to the costa. Basal area is uniformly tan-brown or gray. Pale orbicular and reniform spots are mostly outlined in black; reniform spot has some dusky shading in dorsal (inner) half; small black-outlined claviform spot is present. Median area may be slightly darker than basal and subterminal areas, and the orbicular and reniform spots may be connected by a black line. Black PM line is broadly shaded with pale ground color distally and there are usually a dusky subterminal line bordering the pale area distally, thickest beyond the reniform spot; this dusky subterminal line is more prominent in western populations (see next). See other identification information on the Pacific Northwest Moths species page . All of the specimens barcoded to date on the BOLD website are from the western populations from Arizona north to Oregon. These examples and those illustrated on the Pacific NW website are slightly but recognizably different from Texas/Oklahoma examples (iNaturalist, BugGuide) and there is a wide geographical divide between these populations . Although Lafontaine et al. did not separate these , caution is advised; these may represent two cryptic species [C. Sexton]. Genitalia:
Where is Nudorthodes texana - Hodges#10560 found?
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Habitat | See comments on the Pacific Northwest Moths species page ( 3 ) . |
| Range | This species occurs from the intermontane region of Washington, Oregon, Nevada, and Utah southward to southern California and Arizona and southeastward to the Gulf Coast of Texas . |
What does Nudorthodes texana - Hodges#10560 eat?
The diet of the Nudorthodes texana - Hodges#10560 includes Erodium cicutarium and Haplopappus heterophyllus ( 4 ) ..
When is Nudorthodes texana - Hodges#10560 active?
Nudorthodes texana - Hodges#10560: seasonal activity - Adults were collected rarely in the spring, mostly in March; the second generation occurs from mid-August to mid-November with the flight earlier in the North than in the extreme South . Flight dates in Texas range from September 14 to November 9, peaking in October (iNaturalist, BG). A single March record from Texas is suspect..
What is the life cycle of a Nudorthodes texana - Hodges#10560?
Larvae were described by Crumb (1956) ( 4 ) and Godfrey (1972) ( 5 ) .