Telphusa perspicua - Hodges#1858.2
Telphusa perspicua
This record describes Telphusa perspicua (species). Recorded family: Gelechiidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
(Adapted loosely from Walsingham’s original 1897 description .) Long upturned palpi dark with some pale banding; top of head typically pale gray; fresh specimens have four to five dorsal scale tufts on the thorax and forewings, these typically brown to blackish often mixed with white; wide dark oblique basal band on forewings usually very evident, highlighted distally by a white edge or white patch; median area with an irregular blackish to dark brown blotch; postmedian area with a spindle-shaped or triangular dark patch, pointed rearward; distal part of forewing patchy dark and light but usually with a pale patch at the anal angle including the fringe; fresh specimens can show irridescent green in several patches on the forewing , most prominently on the distal side of the oblique basal band. I (ASH) strongly suspect the species found in the Southeast US is undescribed, with true perspicua limited at most to the Caribbean and represented on iNaturalist by two images from the Dominican Republic.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Gelechioidea
- Family
- Gelechiidae (Twirler Moths)
- Subfamily
- Gelechiinae
- Tribe
- Litini
- Genus
- Telphusa
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
North Carolina and Florida to central Texas; Panama (BugGuide, iNaturalist, SCAN). Type locality: Haiti.
Seasonal Activity
Nearly year-round, with major flight period in April-June; almost certainly multi-brooded.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Telphusa perspicua. 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 Telphusa perspicua - Hodges#1858.2 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Aaron Hunt; Additional contributions by Chuck Sexton , Steve Morris
Frequently Asked Questions About Telphusa perspicua - Hodges#1858.2
What is Telphusa perspicua - Hodges#1858.2?
Telphusa perspicua - Hodges#1858.2 (Telphusa perspicua) is a species in the family Gelechiidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How do you identify Telphusa perspicua - Hodges#1858.2?
(Adapted loosely from Walsingham’s original 1897 description .) Long upturned palpi dark with some pale banding; top of head typically pale gray; fresh specimens have four to five dorsal scale tufts on the thorax and forewings, these typically brown to blackish often mixed with white; wide dark oblique basal band on forewings usually very evident, highlighted distally by a white edge or white patch; median area with an irregular blackish to dark brown blotch; postmedian area with a spindle-shaped or triangular dark patch, pointed rearward; distal part of forewing patchy dark and light but usually with a pale patch at the anal angle including the fringe; fresh specimens can show irridescent green in several patches on the forewing , most prominently on the distal side of the oblique basal band.
Where is Telphusa perspicua - Hodges#1858.2 found?
Range: North Carolina and Florida to central Texas; Panama (BugGuide, iNaturalist, SCAN). Type locality: Haiti.
When is Telphusa perspicua - Hodges#1858.2 active?
Telphusa perspicua - Hodges#1858.2: seasonal activity - Nearly year-round, with major flight period in April-June; almost certainly multi-brooded..