Sophona snellingi - Hodges#2513.2
Sophona snellingi
This record describes Sophona snellingi (species). Recorded family: Sesiidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Adult - see Eichlin (p.135, f.3) in Print References.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Cossoidea
- Family
- Sesiidae (Clearwing Moths)
- Subfamily
- Tinthiinae
- Tribe
- Tinthiini
- Genus
- Sophona
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
Known from southwestern New Mexico, southern Arizona and Baja California, Mexico. , Type Location: Baja California, Mexico.
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: Named in honor of Roy. R. Snelling (1934-2008), ant specialist and longtime curator at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Sophona snellingi. 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 Sophona snellingi - Hodges#2513.2
What is Sophona snellingi - Hodges#2513.2?
Sophona snellingi - Hodges#2513.2 (Sophona snellingi) is a species in the family Sesiidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Sophona snellingi - Hodges#2513.2?
Forewing length 11-12 mm.
How do you identify Sophona snellingi - Hodges#2513.2?
Adult - see Eichlin (p.135, f.3) in Print References.
Where is Sophona snellingi - Hodges#2513.2 found?
Range: Known from southwestern New Mexico, southern Arizona and Baja California, Mexico. , Type Location: Baja California, Mexico.