Plataea diva - Hodges#6925
Plataea diva
This record describes Plataea diva (species). Recorded family: Geometridae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Specimen determined by DNA analysis (BOLD). Similar to P. californiaria but occurring inland, and often lacking a subterminal line.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Geometroidea
- Family
- Geometridae (Geometrid Moths)
- Subfamily
- Ennominae
- Tribe
- Ourapterygini
- Genus
- Plataea
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
Rindge reported the range to include southern Oregon, California, and Nevada to Baja California.
Seasonal Activity
Adults fly year round in the lowlands of southern California and April to September in southern Oregon, Nevada and northern California.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Plataea diva. 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 Plataea diva - Hodges#6925 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Maury J. Heiman; Additional contributions by James Bailey
Frequently Asked Questions About Plataea diva - Hodges#6925
What is Plataea diva - Hodges#6925?
Plataea diva - Hodges#6925 (Plataea diva) is a species in the family Geometridae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Plataea diva - Hodges#6925?
Rindge listed the forewing length. ♂ 13-20 mm. ♀ 12-20 mm.
How do you identify Plataea diva - Hodges#6925?
Specimen determined by DNA analysis (BOLD). Similar to P. californiaria but occurring inland, and often lacking a subterminal line.
Where is Plataea diva - Hodges#6925 found?
Range: Rindge reported the range to include southern Oregon, California, and Nevada to Baja California.
When is Plataea diva - Hodges#6925 active?
Plataea diva - Hodges#6925: seasonal activity - Adults fly year round in the lowlands of southern California and April to September in southern Oregon, Nevada and northern California..