Elsa's Sphinx - Hodges#7792
Sagenosoma elsa
This record describes Sagenosoma elsa (species). Recorded family: Sphingidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
The forewing has a distinctive wide white band along the costa from the base to the apex.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Bombycoidea
- Family
- Sphingidae (Sphinx Moths)
- Subfamily
- Sphinginae
- Tribe
- Sphingini
- Genus
- Sagenosoma
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
Arizona and the western half of New Mexico north to southern Colorado and southern Utah
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Sagenosoma elsa. 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 Elsa's Sphinx - Hodges#7792 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Will Chatfield-Taylor; Additional contributions by Maury Heiman , Blocky
Frequently Asked Questions About Elsa's Sphinx - Hodges#7792
What is Elsa's Sphinx - Hodges#7792?
Elsa's Sphinx - Hodges#7792 (Sagenosoma elsa) is a species in the family Sphingidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Elsa's Sphinx - Hodges#7792?
wingsapn 7-8.2 cm
How do you identify Elsa's Sphinx - Hodges#7792?
The forewing has a distinctive wide white band along the costa from the base to the apex.
Where is Elsa's Sphinx - Hodges#7792 found?
Range: Arizona and the western half of New Mexico north to southern Colorado and southern Utah