Scardia amurensis - Hodges#0311.1
Scardia amurensis
This record describes Scardia amurensis (species). Recorded family: Tineidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
The forewing cream marking are extended along the entire length of the dorsal margin and over the terminal area; the terminal margin has a few rusty-brown spots . This species was initially discovered mixed among specimens of the Nearctic Scardia anatomella (Grote, 1881) in the USNM, while selecting specimens of the latter for barcoding. Careful examination of additional anatomella revealed several older records of S. amurensis from the southeastern U.S., with the earliest from eastern Texas in 1967 (USNM). Thus the introduction of this species into North America took place several decades ago, but the species has remained unrecognized. The species may be common in other U.S. collections, though misidentified, as evidenced by series collected in the 2000s in Georgia (ADAM) and in Maryland (USNM) .
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Tineoidea
- Family
- Tineidae (Clothes Moths)
- Subfamily
- Scardiinae
- Genus
- Scardia
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
Palearctic in origin: Amur and Primorskii Regions in far-eastern Russia, Japan, possibly adjacent parts of China (Robinson 1986; Baryshnikova 2008). In North America, it occurs in the eastern United States. Landry et al. include records from Texas, Mississipi, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Maryland, New Jersey, and West Virginia . Additional records from Tennessee and Ohio on BugGuide. MPG includes records of Daviscardia coloradella from Indiana and Maine, but these almost certainly represent misidentifications of Scardia amurensis .
Diet and Behavior
Diet: " Fomes fungi (Robinson 1986) and possibly other bracket fungi. One specimen from Maryland reared from Globifomes graveolens growing on fallen Fagus grandifolia (USNM) .
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Scardia amurensis. 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 Scardia amurensis - Hodges#0311.1 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Kyhl Austin
Frequently Asked Questions About Scardia amurensis - Hodges#0311.1
What is Scardia amurensis - Hodges#0311.1?
Scardia amurensis - Hodges#0311.1 (Scardia amurensis) is a species in the family Tineidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Scardia amurensis - Hodges#0311.1?
Though highly variable in size, amurensis specimens are very large with a wingspan of up to 40 mm.
How do you identify Scardia amurensis - Hodges#0311.1?
The forewing cream marking are extended along the entire length of the dorsal margin and over the terminal area; the terminal margin has a few rusty-brown spots .
Where is Scardia amurensis - Hodges#0311.1 found?
Range: Palearctic in origin: Amur and Primorskii Regions in far-eastern Russia, Japan, possibly adjacent parts of China (Robinson 1986; Baryshnikova 2008). In North America, it occurs in the eastern United States. Landry et al. include records from Texas, Mississipi, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Maryland, New Jersey, and West Virginia . Additional records from Tennessee and Ohio on BugGuide. MPG includes records of Daviscardia coloradella from Indiana and Maine, but these almost certainly represent misidentifications of Scardia amurensis .
What does Scardia amurensis - Hodges#0311.1 eat?
The diet of the Scardia amurensis - Hodges#0311.1 includes Fomes fungi (Robinson 1986) and possibly other bracket fungi. One specimen from Maryland reared from Globifomes graveolens growing on fallen Fagus grandifolia (USNM) ..