Toxonprucha excavata - Hodges#8673.1
Toxonprucha excavata
This record describes Toxonprucha excavata (species). Recorded family: Erebidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Identification notes
Genitalia:
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Noctuoidea
- Family
- Erebidae
- Subfamily
- Erebinae
- Tribe
- Omopterini
- Genus
- Toxonprucha
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
Arizona; south Texas. West Indies, Mexico to South America. Moth Photographers Group - large map with some distribution data.
Seasonal Activity
The flight period is May to July. ?
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Larval foodplant uncertain but possibly Acacia sp.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Toxonprucha excavata. 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 Toxonprucha excavata - Hodges#8673.1 (2)
Photo credits: Contributed by Maury J. Heiman; Additional contributions by Steve Nanz , Kyhl Austin , Robert H. Biagi
Frequently Asked Questions About Toxonprucha excavata - Hodges#8673.1
How big is Toxonprucha excavata - Hodges#8673.1?
Wingspan 18-22 mm.
How do you identify Toxonprucha excavata - Hodges#8673.1?
Genitalia:
Where is Toxonprucha excavata - Hodges#8673.1 found?
Range: Arizona; south Texas. West Indies, Mexico to South America. Moth Photographers Group - large map with some distribution data.
What does Toxonprucha excavata - Hodges#8673.1 eat?
The diet of the Toxonprucha excavata - Hodges#8673.1 includes Larval foodplant uncertain but possibly Acacia sp..
When is Toxonprucha excavata - Hodges#8673.1 active?
Toxonprucha excavata - Hodges#8673.1: seasonal activity - The flight period is May to July. ?.