Petrophila cronialis - Hodges#4782
Petrophila cronialis
This record describes Petrophila cronialis (species). Recorded family: Crambidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
The original description of Cataclysta cronialis Druce, is available online in the print references below. This is a mysterious species which Munroe (1972, p. 129) indicated ranges from Nogales and the Huachuca Mts of Arizona south into Mexico. He did not illustrate either the adult nor the genitalia. The original illustration by Druce in Biologia Centrali-Americana looks at best like a generalized Petrophila and Munroe’s description is also pretty generic. This has left everyone guessing at what ought to be Petrophila cronialis . There is one BIN on BOLD Systems (BOLD:ADK0852) which has been labeled cronialis ; all of the specimens are from Yavapai County, AZ, which also happens to be the type locality of a newly-described species P. anna (Solis & Tuskes 2018) which incidentally matches the old descriptions of cronialis . I suspect that P. anna will be found to be a synonym of P. cronialis . Knudson & Bordelon illustrate a specimen purporting to be P. cronialis in their Davis Mts illustrated checklist, but it appears to be a pretty typical Spring Petrophila.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Pyraloidea
- Family
- Crambidae (Crambid Snout Moths)
- Subfamily
- Acentropinae
- Tribe
- Argyractini
- Genus
- Petrophila
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
New Mexico to Mexico. Holotype collected Jalapa, Mexico.
Seasonal Activity
July records.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Petrophila cronialis. 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 Petrophila cronialis - Hodges#4782 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Maury J. Heiman; Additional contributions by Chuck Sexton , Randy Hardy
Frequently Asked Questions About Petrophila cronialis - Hodges#4782
What is Petrophila cronialis - Hodges#4782?
Petrophila cronialis - Hodges#4782 (Petrophila cronialis) is a species in the family Crambidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Petrophila cronialis - Hodges#4782?
Wingspan: (Druce) ♂ 28 mm. ♀ 35 mm.
How do you identify Petrophila cronialis - Hodges#4782?
The original description of Cataclysta cronialis Druce, is available online in the print references below.
Where is Petrophila cronialis - Hodges#4782 found?
Range: New Mexico to Mexico. Holotype collected Jalapa, Mexico.
When is Petrophila cronialis - Hodges#4782 active?
Petrophila cronialis - Hodges#4782: seasonal activity - July records..