Devil's River Petrophila - Hodges#4771
Petrophila daemonalis
This record describes Petrophila daemonalis (species). Recorded family: Crambidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Recognized as a Petrophila by the V shaped white bands on the outer part of the forewings with adjacent orange bands, along with a series of black/metallic terminal spots on the hindwings. The forewing and hindwing both have more yellow on them, particularly in the median area of the wings, than any other Texas species in the genus. Type series: Thirteen specimens, Devil's River, Texas, May 5 and 6, 1907, collected by Bishopp & Pratt. Texas Parks & Wildlife considers this to be a Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN)
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
endemic (?) to Edwards Plateau of central Texas. (Dyar, 1908)
Seasonal Activity
May-Sept (BG data)
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: daemonalis - Latin for 'pertaining to evil,' , a reference to its type locality near the Devils River.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Petrophila daemonalis. 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 Devil's River Petrophila - Hodges#4771 (2)
Photo credits: Contributed by A. Hendrickson; Additional contributions by Mike Quinn , Chuck Sexton
Frequently Asked Questions About Devil's River Petrophila - Hodges#4771
What is Devil's River Petrophila - Hodges#4771?
Devil's River Petrophila - Hodges#4771 (Petrophila daemonalis) is a species in the family Crambidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Devil's River Petrophila - Hodges#4771?
7 mm wing length
How do you identify Devil's River Petrophila - Hodges#4771?
Recognized as a Petrophila by the V shaped white bands on the outer part of the forewings with adjacent orange bands, along with a series of black/metallic terminal spots on the hindwings. The forewing and hindwing both have more yellow on them, particularly in the median area of the wings, than any other Texas species in the genus.
Where is Devil's River Petrophila - Hodges#4771 found?
Range: endemic (?) to Edwards Plateau of central Texas. (Dyar, 1908)
When is Devil's River Petrophila - Hodges#4771 active?
Devil's River Petrophila - Hodges#4771: seasonal activity - May-Sept (BG data).