Rifseria fuscotaeniaella - Hodges#1918
Rifseria fuscotaeniaella
This record describes Rifseria fuscotaeniaella (species). Recorded family: Gelechiidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Adult: forewing white with broad brown basal band in some individuals; three dark patches along costa, increasing in size from first to third patch; top of head and anterior thorax white; top of posterior thorax brown; markings are variable, with gradations between nearly all white and dark specimens known.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Gelechioidea
- Family
- Gelechiidae (Twirler Moths)
- Subfamily
- Gelechiinae
- Tribe
- Gelechiini
- Genus
- Rifseria
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
Manitoba and British Columbia to eastern Colorado, Utah, Nevada, Arizona and coastal California (Powell & Opler, 2009).
Seasonal Activity
Adults fly from March to November in the south; June to September in the north.
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Larvae are leaf miners and feed in terminals of pearly everlasting ( Anaphalis ) and cudweed ( Gnaphalium ) (Powell & Opler, 2009).
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: From Latin fuscus- "dark, dusky" + taenia- "ribbon" (itself from Greek tainia ταινια) + the Latin diminutive suffix -ella
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Rifseria fuscotaeniaella. 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 Rifseria fuscotaeniaella - Hodges#1918 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Robin McLeod; Additional contributions by Chuck Entz , Randy Hardy
Frequently Asked Questions About Rifseria fuscotaeniaella - Hodges#1918
What is Rifseria fuscotaeniaella - Hodges#1918?
Rifseria fuscotaeniaella - Hodges#1918 (Rifseria fuscotaeniaella) is a species in the family Gelechiidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Rifseria fuscotaeniaella - Hodges#1918?
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Forewing | Forewing length 4.5-7 mm (Powell & Opler, 2009). |
| Wingspan | Wingspan 10.5-16 mm (Hodges, 1966). |
How do you identify Rifseria fuscotaeniaella - Hodges#1918?
Adult: forewing white with broad brown basal band in some individuals; three dark patches along costa, increasing in size from first to third patch; top of head and anterior thorax white; top of posterior thorax brown; markings are variable, with gradations between nearly all white and dark specimens known.
Where is Rifseria fuscotaeniaella - Hodges#1918 found?
Range: Manitoba and British Columbia to eastern Colorado, Utah, Nevada, Arizona and coastal California (Powell & Opler, 2009).
What does Rifseria fuscotaeniaella - Hodges#1918 eat?
The diet of the Rifseria fuscotaeniaella - Hodges#1918 includes Larvae are leaf miners and feed in terminals of pearly everlasting ( Anaphalis ) and cudweed ( Gnaphalium ) (Powell & Opler, 2009)..
When is Rifseria fuscotaeniaella - Hodges#1918 active?
Rifseria fuscotaeniaella - Hodges#1918: seasonal activity - Adults fly from March to November in the south; June to September in the north..