Protogygia pryorensis - Hodges#10898.1
Protogygia pryorensis
This record describes Protogygia pryorensis (species). Recorded family: Noctuidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
The adult male has been dissected and described. The adult female is unknown, but is likely to resemble the male based on the females of other species in the genus. (Crabo & Kirst, 2023)
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Noctuoidea
- Family
- Noctuidae (Owlet Moths)
- Subfamily
- Noctuinae
- Tribe
- Noctuini
- Genus
- Protogygia
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
western (MO, WY)
Seasonal Activity
It flies during early May.
Diet and Behavior
Life History
The early stages are unknown. It is possible that the larvae burrow in sand, a habit of known larvae from the closely-related genus Copablepharon Harvey (Lafontaine and Fauske 2004).
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: Etymology: The species epithet pays homage to the ecologically rich Pryor Mountains in south-central Montana, where Marian L. Kirst as a child spent many happy hours exploring. The Pryor Mountains are named for Nathaniel Hale Pryor, a Sergeant with the Lewis and Clark Expedition that traveled through Montana in 1805.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Protogygia pryorensis. 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 Protogygia pryorensis - Hodges#10898.1 (2)
Photo credits: Contributed by Bob Biagi
Frequently Asked Questions About Protogygia pryorensis - Hodges#10898.1
What is Protogygia pryorensis - Hodges#10898.1?
Protogygia pryorensis - Hodges#10898.1 (Protogygia pryorensis) is a species in the family Noctuidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
Where is Protogygia pryorensis - Hodges#10898.1 found?
Range: western (MO, WY)
When is Protogygia pryorensis - Hodges#10898.1 active?
Protogygia pryorensis - Hodges#10898.1: seasonal activity - It flies during early May..
What is the life cycle of a Protogygia pryorensis - Hodges#10898.1?
The early stages are unknown. It is possible that the larvae burrow in sand, a habit of known larvae from the closely-related genus Copablepharon Harvey (Lafontaine and Fauske 2004).