Phyllonorycter insignis - Hodges#0758
Phyllonorycter insignis
This record describes Phyllonorycter insignis (species). Recorded family: Gracillariidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
See type specimen at the Global Taxonomic Database of Gracillariidae (Lepidoptera) website.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Gracillarioidea
- Family
- Gracillariidae (Leaf Blotch Miner Moths)
- Subfamily
- Lithocolletinae
- Genus
- Phyllonorycter
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
Type locality: Lake and Mendocino Counties, CA.
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Ceanothus integerrimus , see Braun (1916).
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Phyllonorycter insignis. 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 Phyllonorycter insignis - Hodges#0758 (3)
Photo credits: Contributed by Steve Nanz
Frequently Asked Questions About Phyllonorycter insignis - Hodges#0758
What is Phyllonorycter insignis - Hodges#0758?
Phyllonorycter insignis - Hodges#0758 (Phyllonorycter insignis) is a species in the family Gracillariidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How do you identify Phyllonorycter insignis - Hodges#0758?
See type specimen at the Global Taxonomic Database of Gracillariidae (Lepidoptera) website.
Where is Phyllonorycter insignis - Hodges#0758 found?
Range: Type locality: Lake and Mendocino Counties, CA.
What does Phyllonorycter insignis - Hodges#0758 eat?
The diet of the Phyllonorycter insignis - Hodges#0758 includes Ceanothus integerrimus , see Braun (1916)..