Fabulous Skipper
Troyus fabulosus
This record describes Troyus fabulosus (species). Recorded family: Hesperiidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Butterflies of America - BOA Type Locality: Texas, Hidalgo Co., Peñitas
Identification notes
Butterflies of America - BOA
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Papilionoidea
- Family
- Hesperiidae (Skippers)
- Subfamily
- Hesperiinae
- Tribe
- Hesperiini
- Genus
- Troyus
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
southmost TX (sporadic), E & W Mexico to Honduras - BOA
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: Troyus fabulosus Grishin, 2023
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Troyus fabulosus. 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 Fabulous Skipper (2)
Photo credits: Contributed by Mike Quinn
Frequently Asked Questions About Fabulous Skipper
What is Fabulous Skipper?
Fabulous Skipper (Troyus fabulosus) is a species in the family Hesperiidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How do you identify Fabulous Skipper?
Butterflies of America - BOA
Where is Fabulous Skipper found?
Range: southmost TX (sporadic), E & W Mexico to Honduras - BOA