Thyrocopa apatela
Encyclopedia
Thyrocopa apatela, is a species
of brachypterous
(flightless) moth
from Maui
. Hawaii
.
This species appears to be undergoing severe range reduction. Although it was found as low as 1,524 meters in the 1970s, recent collecting indicates it is now restricted to areas above 2,900 meters. This may be the result of the range expansion of introduced ants on Haleakala.
The length of the forewings is 8-11 mm. Adults are on wing from May to August. It is largely diurnal, though they occasionally come to light. Adults are mostly collected while hopping between sunny rocks.
The larva is likely a generalist, feeding on Dubautia
and other plant species found in the alpine scrub of Haleakala’s high elevation areas. Larvae have also been found feeding on wind-blown debris under small rocks.
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
of brachypterous
Brachypterous
Brachyptery is an anatomical condition meaning that an animal has very reduced, non-functional wings. Such as animal may be described by the adjective "brachypterous"....
(flightless) moth
Moth
A moth is an insect closely related to the butterfly, both being of the order Lepidoptera. Moths form the majority of this order; there are thought to be 150,000 to 250,000 different species of moth , with thousands of species yet to be described...
from Maui
Maui
The island of Maui is the second-largest of the Hawaiian Islands at and is the 17th largest island in the United States. Maui is part of the state of Hawaii and is the largest of Maui County's four islands, bigger than Lānai, Kahoolawe, and Molokai. In 2010, Maui had a population of 144,444,...
. Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
.
This species appears to be undergoing severe range reduction. Although it was found as low as 1,524 meters in the 1970s, recent collecting indicates it is now restricted to areas above 2,900 meters. This may be the result of the range expansion of introduced ants on Haleakala.
The length of the forewings is 8-11 mm. Adults are on wing from May to August. It is largely diurnal, though they occasionally come to light. Adults are mostly collected while hopping between sunny rocks.
The larva is likely a generalist, feeding on Dubautia
Dubautia
Dubautia is a genus of flowering plant in the sunflower family, Asteraceae, that is endemic to Hawaii. It contains more species than the other two genera in the silversword alliance, including cushion plants, shrubs, trees, and lianas.-Selected species:...
and other plant species found in the alpine scrub of Haleakala’s high elevation areas. Larvae have also been found feeding on wind-blown debris under small rocks.