Mexican Sootywing - Hodges#3978
Pholisora mejicanus
This record describes Pholisora mejicanus (species). Recorded family: Hesperiidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
This species is very similar to Common Sootywing (Pholisora catullus), except that the veins on the ventral hindwing are darker black than the ground color on the HW, which makes them stand out. Common sootywing lacks the contrasting veins and has a completely plain brown/black hindwing. Mexican Sootywing also often has a blue sheen on the hindwing, but this can occasionally also be a feature on Common sootywings per Glassberg 2017.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Papilionoidea
- Family
- Hesperiidae (Skippers)
- Subfamily
- Pyrginae
- Tribe
- Carcharodini
- Genus
- Pholisora (Sootywings)
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
Southwest US, northern and central Mexico.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Pholisora mejicanus. 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 Mexican Sootywing - Hodges#3978 (2)
Photo credits: Contributed by Joshua C'deBaca; Additional contributions by Steve Nanz
Frequently Asked Questions About Mexican Sootywing - Hodges#3978
What is Mexican Sootywing - Hodges#3978?
Mexican Sootywing - Hodges#3978 (Pholisora mejicanus) is a species in the family Hesperiidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How do you identify Mexican Sootywing - Hodges#3978?
This species is very similar to Common Sootywing (Pholisora catullus), except that the veins on the ventral hindwing are darker black than the ground color on the HW, which makes them stand out. Common sootywing lacks the contrasting veins and has a completely plain brown/black hindwing. Mexican Sootywing also often has a blue sheen on the hindwing, but this can occasionally also be a feature on Common sootywings per Glassberg 2017.
Where is Mexican Sootywing - Hodges#3978 found?
Range: Southwest US, northern and central Mexico.