Salbia melanobathrum - Hodges#5287.2
Salbia melanobathrum
This record describes Salbia melanobathrum (species). Recorded family: Crambidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Salbia tytiusalis Salbia mizaralis Male S. melanobathrum have big, jet-black antennal tufts that you see in the photos, whereas S. tytiusalis males have no tufts. It is the same size as S. tytiusalis , but the hind wing pattern is different: in S. melanobathrum , the shading between the PM line and the margin is darker and distinctly separated from the PM line by the pale ground color, whereas in S. tytiusalis , the shading is hardly distinct from the ground color and is practically continuous with the PM line. The forewing is 6mm in both species. In S. mizaralis, the FW is 8-9 mm, the overall color is darker, males have a small, indistinct antennal scale tuft (or maybe two), and you can see the hind wing pattern in the BOLD photos of mizaralis . - James Hayden (pers. comm., 12/14/2020)
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Pyraloidea
- Family
- Crambidae (Crambid Snout Moths)
- Subfamily
- Spilomelinae
- Tribe
- Spilomelini
- Genus
- Salbia
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
USA: Florida Type Locality: LaChorrera, Panama.
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: Salbia melanobathrum Dyar, 1914
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Salbia melanobathrum. 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 Salbia melanobathrum - Hodges#5287.2 (2)
Photo credits: Contributed by Steve Nanz
Frequently Asked Questions About Salbia melanobathrum - Hodges#5287.2
What is Salbia melanobathrum - Hodges#5287.2?
Salbia melanobathrum - Hodges#5287.2 (Salbia melanobathrum) is a species in the family Crambidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How do you identify Salbia melanobathrum - Hodges#5287.2?
Salbia tytiusalis Salbia mizaralis Male S. melanobathrum have big, jet-black antennal tufts that you see in the photos, whereas S. tytiusalis males have no tufts. It is the same size as S. tytiusalis , but the hind wing pattern is different: in S. melanobathrum , the shading between the PM line and the margin is darker and distinctly separated from the PM line by the pale ground color, whereas in S. tytiusalis , the shading is hardly distinct from the ground color and is practically continuous with the PM line. The forewing is 6mm in both species. In S. mizaralis, the FW is 8-9 mm, the overall color is darker, males have a small, indistinct antennal scale tuft (or maybe two), and you can see the hind wing pattern in the BOLD photos of mizaralis . - James Hayden (pers. comm., 12/14/2020)
Where is Salbia melanobathrum - Hodges#5287.2 found?
Range: USA: Florida Type Locality: LaChorrera, Panama.