Meske's Pero - Hodges#6747
Pero meskaria
This record describes Pero meskaria (species). Recorded family: Geometridae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Geometroidea
- Family
- Geometridae (Geometrid Moths)
- Subfamily
- Ennominae
- Tribe
- Azelinini
- Genus
- Pero
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
Poole (1987) reported the species inhabits drier areas of the southwestern United States. ( 5 )
Geographic Range
Powell & Opler listed the range to include southern Texas west to California , east through Nevada, Utah and western Colorado .
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Poole (1987) reported Torrie & Gray reared on Clematis drummondii (Drummond's Clematis) in Texas
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: Named in honor of Otto von Meske (1837-1890), who had two other Lepidoptera named after him around the same time, Catocala meskei (Grote, 1873) and Hesperia meskei (Edwards, 1877), as well as the genus Meskea Grote, 1877.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Pero meskaria. 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 Meske's Pero - Hodges#6747 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Robin McLeod; Additional contributions by Maury Heiman , Randy Hardy
Frequently Asked Questions About Meske's Pero - Hodges#6747
How big is Meske's Pero - Hodges#6747?
Powell & Opler (2009) listed the forewing length 13-16 mm. Poole (1987) did not specify size but noted some Texas specimens half the size of those from Arizona.
Where is Meske's Pero - Hodges#6747 found?
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Habitat | Poole (1987) reported the species inhabits drier areas of the southwestern United States. ( 5 ) |
| Range | Powell & Opler listed the range to include southern Texas west to California , east through Nevada, Utah and western Colorado . |
What does Meske's Pero - Hodges#6747 eat?
The diet of the Meske's Pero - Hodges#6747 includes Poole (1987) reported Torrie & Gray reared on Clematis drummondii (Drummond's Clematis) in Texas.