Plataea polychroma - Hodges#6921.2
Plataea polychroma
This record describes Plataea polychroma (species). Recorded family: Geometridae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Ferris & McFarland original description in PDF.
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
Ferris & McFarland reports specimens collected in southern Arizona but mentions the range possibly includes New Mexico and western Texas where the host plant thrives.
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Ferris & McFarland reported the species has been reared on several Salvia species but Blue Sage (Shrubby Sage) Salvia pinguifolia (Fernald) Wooton & Standley [Lamiaceae] appears to be the host.
Life History
Ferris & McFarland describe the life cycle in the PDF.
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: Ferris & McFarland stated "We have selected the name polychroma (adjective) to represent both the color differences between the two sexes, and the color variation in the adult females."
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Plataea polychroma. 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 polychroma - Hodges#6921.2 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Maury J. Heiman
Frequently Asked Questions About Plataea polychroma - Hodges#6921.2
What is Plataea polychroma - Hodges#6921.2?
Plataea polychroma - Hodges#6921.2 (Plataea polychroma) is a species in the family Geometridae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How do you identify Plataea polychroma - Hodges#6921.2?
Ferris & McFarland original description in PDF.
Where is Plataea polychroma - Hodges#6921.2 found?
Range: Ferris & McFarland reports specimens collected in southern Arizona but mentions the range possibly includes New Mexico and western Texas where the host plant thrives.
What does Plataea polychroma - Hodges#6921.2 eat?
The diet of the Plataea polychroma - Hodges#6921.2 includes Ferris & McFarland reported the species has been reared on several Salvia species but Blue Sage (Shrubby Sage) Salvia pinguifolia (Fernald) Wooton & Standley [Lamiaceae] appears to be the host..
What is the life cycle of a Plataea polychroma - Hodges#6921.2?
Ferris & McFarland describe the life cycle in the PDF.