Porphyrosela minuta - Hodges#0843.1
Porphyrosela minuta
This record describes Porphyrosela minuta (species). Recorded family: Gracillariidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
The only known native Porphyrosela in the US, P. desmodiella , is very similar as an adult. However, it makes underside tentiform mines, not flat upperside mines like those of P. minuta , and Trifolium is not one of its known hosts.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Gracillarioidea
- Family
- Gracillariidae (Leaf Blotch Miner Moths)
- Subfamily
- Lithocolletinae
- Genus
- Porphyrosela
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
Apparently native to South America (known from Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay). Recently discovered in North America: California, Maryland, Oklahoma, Tennessee, North Carolina, Louisiana.
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Larvae are leafminers in white clover ( Trifolium repens ).
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: Author: Clarke, 1953
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Porphyrosela minuta. 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 Porphyrosela minuta - Hodges#0843.1 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Charley Eiseman; Additional contributions by Steve Nanz , Beatriz Moisset , Blocky , Steve Morris
Frequently Asked Questions About Porphyrosela minuta - Hodges#0843.1
What is Porphyrosela minuta - Hodges#0843.1?
Porphyrosela minuta - Hodges#0843.1 (Porphyrosela minuta) is a species in the family Gracillariidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
Where is Porphyrosela minuta - Hodges#0843.1 found?
Range: Apparently native to South America (known from Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay). Recently discovered in North America: California, Maryland, Oklahoma, Tennessee, North Carolina, Louisiana.
What does Porphyrosela minuta - Hodges#0843.1 eat?
The diet of the Porphyrosela minuta - Hodges#0843.1 includes Larvae are leafminers in white clover ( Trifolium repens )..