Piruna haferniki - Hodges#3986
Piruna haferniki
This record describes Piruna haferniki (species). Recorded family: Hesperiidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Upperside is blackish brown. Forewing has 3 same-sized spots at the apex and distinct oval postmedian spots; hindwing has no markings. Underside of forewing is the same as upperside; underside of hindwing is purplish gray with no markings Type Locality: Green Gulch, Big Bend National Park, Brewster County, Texas, elev. 5700 ft. The Nature Conservancy Global Rank: G1 - Critically imperiled globally because of extreme rarity. 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
- Papilionoidea
- Family
- Hesperiidae (Skippers)
- Subfamily
- Heteropterinae
- Genus
- Piruna
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
w. TX (Brewster Co.) - Map - MPG
Diet and Behavior
Life History
Adults rest with their wings closed, but bask with hindwings open wide and forewings open to about 45 degrees. Males patrol to find receptive females. Caterpillars live and feed within nests of webbed leaves. Fully-grown caterpillars hibernate.
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: Piruna haferniki H. Freeman, 1970
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Piruna haferniki. 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 Piruna haferniki - Hodges#3986 (2)
Photo credits: Contributed by Beatriz Moisset; Additional contributions by Steve Nanz , Mike Quinn
Frequently Asked Questions About Piruna haferniki - Hodges#3986
What is Piruna haferniki - Hodges#3986?
Piruna haferniki - Hodges#3986 (Piruna haferniki) is a species in the family Hesperiidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Piruna haferniki - Hodges#3986?
25 mm
How do you identify Piruna haferniki - Hodges#3986?
Upperside is blackish brown. Forewing has 3 same-sized spots at the apex and distinct oval postmedian spots; hindwing has no markings. Underside of forewing is the same as upperside; underside of hindwing is purplish gray with no markings
Where is Piruna haferniki - Hodges#3986 found?
Range: w. TX (Brewster Co.) - Map - MPG
What is the life cycle of a Piruna haferniki - Hodges#3986?
Adults rest with their wings closed, but bask with hindwings open wide and forewings open to about 45 degrees. Males patrol to find receptive females. Caterpillars live and feed within nests of webbed leaves. Fully-grown caterpillars hibernate.