Scythris inornatella - Hodges#1397
Scythris inornatella
This record describes Scythris inornatella (species). Recorded family: Scythrididae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
... Face very light brown with light metallic reflection, whitish around eyes and at occiput... Labial palpus white, relatively short, apex not extended to vertex. Haustellum base covered with white scales. Antenna buff, extended to about middle of wing... Accessory frenular setae present. Forewing upper surface buff-yellow with broad, somewhat indistinct white streak extended from base to termen at about 4/5 of wing length; ventral surface uniformly buff; cilia buff-yellow... - Landry (1991)
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Gelechioidea
- Family
- Scythrididae (Flower Moths)
- Genus
- Scythris
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
Known only from type locality. Type Locality: TX
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: Scythris inornatella , originally placed in Coleophora , was determined to be a scythridid by Landry (1991) but with its precise relationship within Scythrididae remaining uncertain.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Scythris inornatella. 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 Scythris inornatella - Hodges#1397
What is Scythris inornatella - Hodges#1397?
Scythris inornatella - Hodges#1397 (Scythris inornatella) is a species in the family Scythrididae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Scythris inornatella - Hodges#1397?
Forewing length: ♂, 4.3 mm - Landry (1991)
How do you identify Scythris inornatella - Hodges#1397?
... Face very light brown with light metallic reflection, whitish around eyes and at occiput... Labial palpus white, relatively short, apex not extended to vertex. Haustellum base covered with white scales. Antenna buff, extended to about middle of wing... Accessory frenular setae present. Forewing upper surface buff-yellow with broad, somewhat indistinct white streak extended from base to termen at about 4/5 of wing length; ventral surface uniformly buff; cilia buff-yellow... - Landry (1991)
Where is Scythris inornatella - Hodges#1397 found?
Range: Known only from type locality. Type Locality: TX