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Species Petrophila jaliscalis - Hodges#4775
Classification Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
Superfamily Pyraloidea (Pyralid and Crambid Snout Moths)
Family Crambidae (Crambid Snout Moths)
Subfamily Acentropinae
Tribe Argyractini
Genus Petrophila
Species jaliscalis (Petrophila jaliscalis - Hodges#4775)
Synonyms and other taxonomic changes Petrophila jaliscalis (Schaus, 1906)
Cataclysta jaliscalis Schaus, 1906
Parargyractis jaliscalis
* phylogentic sequence #144000
Explanation of Names Schaus described the moth from Guadalajara, Mexico and named it for the for the state of Jalisco.
Size Forewing length 7-11 mm. (1)
Identification The red-orange or dark pink hue of the color patches on the FW and HW is the single most important character separating (fresh) jaliscalis from all other members of the genus. Faded/worn examples can shift to an orange hue.
Typical examples from California (L), Arizona (Center), and Texas (R):
Prior to August 2019, there had been a set of specimens and images from OK, AZ, and westward labeled as " Petrophila santafealis", purportedly based on barcoded specimens (BIN BOLD:AAF9925). Subsequent research (2) showed that the barcode labeling was in error; all that set of specimens have been reidentified (and moved to) jaliscalis. P. santafealis remains a fairly local Florida endemic. See that species page for identification hints.
Range Texas and Oklahoma west to California (BG, BOLD, GBIF, iNaturalist, MPG, SCAN). Powell & Opler (2009) and Pohl et al (2010, 2014, 2018) report the species occuring in Alberta, Canada, but the species is decided rare north of the cited range; none of the aforementioned online sources include any Canadian records. (1)(3)(4)
Habitat Algae covered rocks - larvae are aquatic, living within a silken web in streams; P. jaliscalis is adapted to slower, warmer, less oxygenated streams than P. confusalis. This allows P. jaliscalis to have a more southern distribution and association with intermittent streams (Merritt & Cummins, p.387; Tuskes, 1981).
Life Cycle Adult lays 200-300 eggs in up to 4 meters of water, carrying a layer of air that sustains her from 4 to 12 hours. After ovipositing she dies in the water. Some females only submerge partially and deposit eggs shallowly over several days. (1)
See Also Through much of its range, P. jaliscalis is the most common Petrophila encountered, but in it's Texas range, P. jaliscalis flies with several other Petrophila's including bifascialis, heppneri, kearfottalis, daemonalis, and others. Likewise, Arizona has a set of 3 or 4 other less common species which may co-occur with jaliscalis.
In California, P. jaliscalis is larger, brighter, more contrasting than P. confusalis. (1)
Print References Merritt, R. W. & K. W. Cummins 1996. An introduction to the aquatic insects of North America. p.387 ( Google Books)
Schaus, W. 1906. Descriptions of new South American moths. Proc. USNM 30: 135-136
Tuskes, P. M. 1981. Factors influencing the abundance and distribution of two aquatic moths of the genus Parargyractis (Pyralidae). Jl. Lep. Soc. 35(3): 161-168 ( PDF)
Internet References Moth Photographers Group – images of live and pinned adults (5)
BOLD Systems - images of DNA supported specimens (6)
Wikipedia - brief description (7)
Works Cited 1. | Moths of Western North America Powell and Opler. 2009. UC Press. | |
4. | An annotated list of the Lepidoptera of Alberta, Canada Gregory R. Pohl, Gary G. Anweiler, B. Christian Schmidt, Norbert G. Kondla. 2010. ZooKeys 38: 1–549. | |
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