Pelochrista agassizii - Hodges#3026
Pelochrista agassizii
This record describes Pelochrista agassizii (species). Recorded family: Tortricidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
The use of 3026 for the Hodges number is contingent. As of 10/22/2015 MPG seems to erroneously states Eucosma aemulana (Schlager, 1849) replaces Eucosma agassizii (Robinson, 1869). The two do not appear to be closely related nor do they look similar. Also, other than the MPG page, there is no evidence that Eucosma aemulana is found in North America. P. agassizii is in the 2013 checklist. - Steve Nanz 10/22/2015 Pelochrista agassizii , P. bolanderana , and P. gilletteana are all closely related based on BOLD. As of 2015, the BIN cluster here , containing P. agassizii , also contains samples identified as P. bolanderana , and P. gilletteana . The nearest BIN here , less than 2% away, contains samples identified as P. bolanderana and P. gilletteana .
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Tortricoidea
- Family
- Tortricidae (Tortricid Moths)
- Subfamily
- Olethreutinae
- Tribe
- Eucosmini
- Genus
- Pelochrista
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
Records throughout the southwestern states. Type locality: Waco, Texas ( G.W. Belfrage ).
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: Patronym for Louis Agassiz (1807-1873).
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Pelochrista agassizii. 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 Pelochrista agassizii - Hodges#3026 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Steve Nanz; Additional contributions by john and jane balaban , Randy Hardy , Blocky