Pimaphera percata - Hodges#6441
Pimaphera percata
This record describes Pimaphera percata (species). Recorded family: Geometridae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
First abdominal segment of the adult is light and second segment is darker than the rest. All wings are uniform pale gray with dark brown to nearly black maculation. Discal dot on male is small and indistinct, females more defined. Pimaphera percata was named by Cassino & Swett in 1927 from Arizona. They also placed Walker's 1862 species Acidalia ? sparsaria in their new genus Pimaphera but offered no critical remarks about distinguishing the two. P. sparsaria was originally described from Florida; a synonym Boarmia psilogrammaria Zeller was described from Texas. There is essentially no guidance in literature on how to separate the two species but percata is apparently confined to Arizona. Barcoding is limited or inconclusive for both species. At present, the only available image of true Pimaphera percata is a 1937 specimen from Arizona illustrated on the Moths of Southeastern Arizona website.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Geometroidea
- Family
- Geometridae (Geometrid Moths)
- Subfamily
- Ennominae
- Tribe
- Boarmiini
- Genus
- Pimaphera
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
Arizona; Texas to North Carolina. Holotype collected in Arizona, Baboquivaria Mts. Moth Photographers Group - large map with some collection locations and dates.
Seasonal Activity
Adults are most common from May through August.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Pimaphera percata. 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.
Frequently Asked Questions About Pimaphera percata - Hodges#6441
What is Pimaphera percata - Hodges#6441?
Pimaphera percata - Hodges#6441 (Pimaphera percata) is a species in the family Geometridae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Pimaphera percata - Hodges#6441?
Forewing length average is 11 mm.
How do you identify Pimaphera percata - Hodges#6441?
First abdominal segment of the adult is light and second segment is darker than the rest. All wings are uniform pale gray with dark brown to nearly black maculation. Discal dot on male is small and indistinct, females more defined.
Where is Pimaphera percata - Hodges#6441 found?
Range: Arizona; Texas to North Carolina. Holotype collected in Arizona, Baboquivaria Mts. Moth Photographers Group - large map with some collection locations and dates.
When is Pimaphera percata - Hodges#6441 active?
Pimaphera percata - Hodges#6441: seasonal activity - Adults are most common from May through August..