Pygoctenucha pyrrhoura - Hodges#8245
Pygoctenucha pyrrhoura
This record describes Pygoctenucha pyrrhoura (species). Recorded family: Erebidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Additional details | Adults description adapted from Hulst (1881). |
| Forewing | Forewing is smoky brown with slight metallic tinge, and lighter fringe. |
| Thorax | Thorax and abdomen are shiny metallic blue-black. Tip of abdomen is bright red. Forelegs have bright red along the back edge. Other legs are black. |
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Noctuoidea
- Family
- Erebidae
- Subfamily
- Arctiinae
- Tribe
- Arctiini
- Genus
- Pygoctenucha
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
Colorado, western Texas.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Pygoctenucha pyrrhoura. 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.
Frequently Asked Questions About Pygoctenucha pyrrhoura - Hodges#8245
What is Pygoctenucha pyrrhoura - Hodges#8245?
Pygoctenucha pyrrhoura - Hodges#8245 (Pygoctenucha pyrrhoura) is a species in the family Erebidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Pygoctenucha pyrrhoura - Hodges#8245?
Hulst (1881) listed the wingspan as 32 mm.
How do you identify Pygoctenucha pyrrhoura - Hodges#8245?
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Additional details | Adults description adapted from Hulst (1881). |
| Forewing | Forewing is smoky brown with slight metallic tinge, and lighter fringe. |
| Thorax | Thorax and abdomen are shiny metallic blue-black. Tip of abdomen is bright red. Forelegs have bright red along the back edge. Other legs are black. |
Where is Pygoctenucha pyrrhoura - Hodges#8245 found?
Range: Colorado, western Texas.