Yellowish Zanclognatha - Hodges#8352
Zanclognatha marcidilinea
This record describes Zanclognatha marcidilinea (species). Recorded family: Erebidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Adult: forewing medium yellowish-brown; antemedial (AM) and postmedial (PM) lines wavy, jagged, often faint; subterminal (ST) line pale yellow, straight, thick, contrasting sharply against ground color of wing; hindwing a mix of light brown and whitish shading, with conspicuous pale yellow ST line. Larvae: See Preliminary key to Zanclognatha larvae
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Noctuoidea
- Family
- Erebidae
- Subfamily
- Herminiinae
- Genus
- Zanclognatha
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
New Brunswick to Florida ( 3 ) , west to Texas ( 4 ) , north to Ontario also recorded in the west from Oregon to British Columbia but I suspect that these "jacchusalis" records now refer to Z. bryanti (see Remarks section below) Update 2015 - Z. marcidilinea is an eastern species. Western records appear to pertain to Zanclognatha jacchusalis which now includes Zanclognatha jacchusalis lutalba and Zanclognatha jacchusalis bryanti . I'm not sure if the check lists above take in to account the revisions made to this genus in 2010. (See "Update 2015" in Remarks section below.)
Seasonal Activity
Covell's Field Guide ( 5 ) gives a flight season of April to July. This species is listed as Zanclognatha jacchusalis by this source.
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Larvae may feed on dead cottonwood leaves ( Ohio State U. ). This species is listed as Zanclognatha jacchusalis by this source.
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: "Reidentification of the type specimen of Zanclognatha jacchusalis results in the name Z. marcidilinea being used for the species formerly known Z. jacchusalis . Zanclognatha marcidilinea is the species with a pale gray-brown forewing with the maculation reduced except for a contrasting yellow subterminal line (Lafontaine and Honey 2009)." "The identity of the only extant type specimen of Zanclognatha jacchusalis , designated as lectotype by Lafontaine and Honey, results in the name Z. ochreipennis being relegated to the synonymy of Z. jacchusalis . Zanclognatha jacchusalis has an orange-brown forewing heavily speckled with black and prominent maculation."
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Zanclognatha marcidilinea. 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 Yellowish Zanclognatha - Hodges#8352 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Robin McLeod; Additional contributions by Steve Nanz , Tony-2 , anitagould , Chuck Entz , Jason D. Roberts , Maury Heiman , marcie oconnor
Frequently Asked Questions About Yellowish Zanclognatha - Hodges#8352
What is Yellowish Zanclognatha - Hodges#8352?
Yellowish Zanclognatha - Hodges#8352 (Zanclognatha marcidilinea) is a species in the family Erebidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Yellowish Zanclognatha - Hodges#8352?
wingspan about 28 mm, based on photos by Jim Vargo at MPG
How do you identify Yellowish Zanclognatha - Hodges#8352?
Adult: forewing medium yellowish-brown; antemedial (AM) and postmedial (PM) lines wavy, jagged, often faint; subterminal (ST) line pale yellow, straight, thick, contrasting sharply against ground color of wing; hindwing a mix of light brown and whitish shading, with conspicuous pale yellow ST line. Larvae: See Preliminary key to Zanclognatha larvae
Where is Yellowish Zanclognatha - Hodges#8352 found?
Range: New Brunswick to Florida ( 3 ) , west to Texas ( 4 ) , north to Ontario also recorded in the west from Oregon to British Columbia but I suspect that these jacchusalis records now refer to Z. bryanti (see Remarks section below) Update 2015 - Z. marcidilinea is an eastern species. Western records appear to pertain to Zanclognatha jacchusalis which now includes Zanclognatha jacchusalis lutalba and Zanclognatha jacchusalis bryanti . I'm not sure if the check lists above take in to account the revisions made to this genus in 2010. (See Update 2015" in Remarks section below.)
What does Yellowish Zanclognatha - Hodges#8352 eat?
The diet of the Yellowish Zanclognatha - Hodges#8352 includes Larvae may feed on dead cottonwood leaves ( Ohio State U. ). This species is listed as Zanclognatha jacchusalis by this source..
When is Yellowish Zanclognatha - Hodges#8352 active?
Yellowish Zanclognatha - Hodges#8352: seasonal activity - Covell's Field Guide ( 5 ) gives a flight season of April to July. This species is listed as Zanclognatha jacchusalis by this source..