Tornos abjectarius - Hodges#6487
Tornos abjectarius
This record describes Tornos abjectarius (species). Recorded family: Geometridae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Genitalia: ♀ ♂ 8/7/2023 - Ann Hendrickson/(JoAnne Russo) It is my opinion that PHOTOGRAPH identification for this species is only accurate for FEMALES (that are fresh with bright white ground color. Age affects the coloration, the older the moth/specimen, the more it darkens to look like males of both abjectarius and scolopacinaria. JR)
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Geometroidea
- Family
- Geometridae (Geometrid Moths)
- Subfamily
- Ennominae
- Tribe
- Boarmiini
- Genus
- Tornos
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
disjunct distribution in southeast United States; central Texas from Brownsville to Dallas; eastern Texas to New Orleans north to extreme eastern Nebraska and southeastern Iowa. Another population band from New Orleans to North Carolina and a small area in central Florida .
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Tornos abjectarius. 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 Tornos abjectarius - Hodges#6487 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Maury J. Heiman; Additional contributions by Randy Hardy , JoAnneRusso , A. Hendrickson , Robert H. Biagi
Frequently Asked Questions About Tornos abjectarius - Hodges#6487
What is Tornos abjectarius - Hodges#6487?
Tornos abjectarius - Hodges#6487 (Tornos abjectarius) is a species in the family Geometridae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How do you identify Tornos abjectarius - Hodges#6487?
Genitalia: ♀ ♂ 8/7/2023 - Ann Hendrickson/(JoAnne Russo) It is my opinion that PHOTOGRAPH identification for this species is only accurate for FEMALES (that are fresh with bright white ground color. Age affects the coloration, the older the moth/specimen, the more it darkens to look like males of both abjectarius and scolopacinaria. JR)
Where is Tornos abjectarius - Hodges#6487 found?
Range: disjunct distribution in southeast United States; central Texas from Brownsville to Dallas; eastern Texas to New Orleans north to extreme eastern Nebraska and southeastern Iowa. Another population band from New Orleans to North Carolina and a small area in central Florida .