Asaphodes aphelias

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Asaphodes aphelias
Asaphodes aphelias female.jpg
Female
Asaphodes aphelias male.jpg
Male
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Geometridae
Genus: Asaphodes
Species:
A. aphelias
Binomial name
Asaphodes aphelias
(Prout, 1939) [1]
Synonyms [1]
  • Xanthorhoe apheliasProut, 1939
  • Xanthorhoe helias obscuraPhilpott, 1921

Asaphodes aphelias is a species of moth in the family Geometridae. [2] It is endemic to New Zealand and has been observed in Fiordland. This species inhabits damp native scrub and has been observed in upland wetlands at altitudes of between 800 and 1100 m. Adults are on the wing in February but the female of this species is unusual as it has narrow fore and hind wings.

Contents

Taxonomy

A. aphelias male holotype Asaphodes aphelias holotype.png
A. aphelias male holotype

This species was first described by Philpott under the name Xanthorhoe helias obscura. [3] In 1939 George Hudson discussed and illustrated this species under the name Xanthorhoe obscura. [4] In 1939 Louis Beethoven Prout provided a new name for this species, naming it Xanthorhoe aphelias. [5] Prout did so as the species originally named Scotocoremia obscura Butler, 1882 was at that point in time placed in the genus Xanthorhoe and Philpott had raised Xanthorhoe helias obscura to the rank of species. [6] In 1971 J. S. Dugdale placed this species in the genus Asaphodes. [7] In 1988 Dugdale affirmed this placement in his catalogue of New Zealand Lepidoptera. [6] The holotype specimen, a male collected from Hump Ridge in Fiordland by Alfred Philpott, is held at the New Zealand Arthropod Collection. [6]

Description

A. aphelias illustrated by George Hudson as Xanthorhoe obscura Fig 10 MA I437917 TePapa Plate-LVI-A-supplement full (cropped).jpg
A. aphelias illustrated by George Hudson as Xanthorhoe obscura

Philpott first described this species, as a subspecies, as follows:

♂♀. 26–30 mm. Head and palpi ochreous, the latter usually darker. Antennae, shaft whitish-ochreous, pectinations darker. Thorax ochreous, tinged with reddish on shoulders. Abdomen ochreous mixed with fuscous, anal tuft bright ochreous. Legs whitish-ochreous, anterior pair suffused with fuscous. Forewings dull fuscous shading to ochreous along costa; first and second lines distinct, narrow, white; subterminal thin, whitish, sometimes partially obsolete: cilia pink. Hindwings ochreous, apical half fuscous; second line prominent, irregular, whitish, anteriorly fuscous-margined; one or two parallel ochreous lines sometimes follow second line, and there are indications occasionally of preceding lines also: cilia pink. [3]

The female of this species is unusual as it has narrow fore and hind wings. [4]

Distribution

This species is endemic to New Zealand. [1] It has been observed in Fiordland. [3]

Habitat

A. apelias inhabits damp native scrub and has been observed in upland wetlands at altitudes of between 800 and 1100 m. [4] [8]

Behaviour

The adults of this species are on the wing in February. [4]

Related Research Articles

<i>Asaphodes</i> Genus of moths

Asaphodes is a genus of moths in the family Geometridae erected by Edward Meyrick in 1885. This genus is endemic to New Zealand and species within this genus are found throughout New Zealand including the North, South and Stewart / Rakiura Islands.

<i>Asaphodes albalineata</i> Species of moth, endemic to New Zealand

Asaphodes albalineata is a species of moth in the family Geometridae. It is endemic to New Zealand and has been observed on Stewart Island / Rakiura. This species is similar in appearance to Asaphodes oraria but can be distinguished as it has an unusual pattern on the underside of its hindwings. It inhabits open hill tops and adults are on the wing in December.

<i>Asaphodes camelias</i> Species of moth, endemic to New Zealand

Asaphodes camelias is a species of moth in the family Geometridae. It is endemic to New Zealand and inhabits native forest. The adults of this species are on the wing from February to May and July to September.

<i>Asaphodes imperfecta</i> Species of moth

Asaphodes imperfecta is a moth in the family Geometridae. It is endemic to New Zealand and is found in the southern part of the South Island. The species inhabits low lying swampy native forest. The host plants of the larvae of this species is unknown. The adults are on the wing in December and January. It is classified as critically endangered by the Department of Conservation.

<i>Asaphodes chlorocapna</i> Species of moth

Asaphodes chlorocapna is a species of moth in the family Geometridae. This species is endemic to New Zealand and can only be found in the Chatham Islands. The larvae of this species consume the leaves of Muehlenbeckia plants. Adults are on the wing in January. This species is classified as "At Risk, Relict'" by the Department of Conservation.

<i>Asaphodes cosmodora</i> Species of moth

Asaphodes cosmodora is a species of moth in the family Geometridae. This species is endemic to New Zealand and has been observed in the South Island. The adults of this species are on the wing in January and February.

<i>Asaphodes dionysias</i> Species of moth

Asaphodes dionysias is a species of moth in the family Geometridae. This species is endemic to New Zealand and is only known from mountainous areas in Central Otago. It lives in open grassy mountainous habitat at altitudes up to 1750 m. It is also known to live in wetland habitat. The larvae of this species feed on native herbs. The adults of this species are on the wing in January and February. The adult female of the species has reduced wing size in comparison to the male.

<i>Asaphodes limonodes</i> Species of moth

Asaphodes limonodes is a species of moth in the family Geometridae. It is endemic to New Zealand and is found in both the North and South Islands. This species inhabits damp native forest. Adults are on the wing from November until March.

<i>Tingena horaea</i> Species of moth, endemic to New Zealand

Tingena horaea is a species of moth in the family Oecophoridae. It is endemic to New Zealand and have been observed in both the North and South Islands. The adults are on the wing in January.

<i>Tingena pallidula</i> Species of moth, endemic to New Zealand

Tingena pallidula is a species of moth in the family Oecophoridae. It is endemic to New Zealand and has been collected in the Nelson and Tasman regions. Adults of this species are on the wing in February and have been collected by beating undergrowth.

<i>Tingena robiginosa</i> Species of moth, endemic to New Zealand

Tingena robiginosa is a species of moth in the family Oecophoridae. It is endemic to New Zealand and has been observed in the southern parts of the South Island. It has been observed in subalpine habitats at altitudes of between 2700 and 3500 ft amongst Hebe and Cassinia species. The adults of this species are on the wing in December and January.

<i>Asaphodes nephelias</i> Species of moth

Asaphodes nephelias is a moth in the family Geometridae. It is endemic to New Zealand and has been observed in the South Island. The preferred habitat of this species is alpine tussock grasslands above native forest and in wetlands. The adults of this species are on the wing from January to March and are day flying. The female has brachypterous wings.

<i>Asaphodes oraria</i> Species of moth

Asaphodes oraria is a species of moth in the family Geometridae. This species is endemic to New Zealand and has been observed in the southern South Island and on Stewart Island / Rakiura. The male is pale yellow coloured and the female has severely reduced wings and is flightless. The habitat of this species is tussock grasslands on coastal sand dunes and in the mountains at elevations of approximately 4,000ft. The larvae have adapted to feeding on exotic lawn daisy species in the genus Bellis. The adults of this species are on the wing from November to April.

<i>Asaphodes oxyptera</i> Species of moth endemic to New Zealand

Asaphodes oxyptera is a species of moth in the family Geometridae. This species is endemic to New Zealand and is only found in the Auckland Islands.

<i>Asaphodes periphaea</i> Species of moth

Asaphodes periphaea is a moth in the family Geometridae. It is endemic to New Zealand and has only been collected in the mountains near Lake Wakatipu in the South Island. The male is fuscous coloured sprinkled with whitish colouration. The female is brachypterous. The preferred habitat of this species are alpine bluffs as well as mountainous open country. This species is on the wing from January to March.

<i>Asaphodes philpotti</i> Species of moth

Asaphodes philpotti is a moth in the family Geometridae. It is endemic to New Zealand and has been found in the South Island as well as one observation in Wainuiomata in the North Island. This species inhabits native forest and larvae are hosted by species in the genera Hydrocotyle and Cardamine.

<i>Asaphodes prasinias</i> Species of moth endemic to New Zealand

Asaphodes prasinias is a moth in the family Geometridae. It is endemic to New Zealand and has been found on both the North and South Islands. This species inhabits native forest including beech forest and subalpine scrub. The range of this species has reduced as this species is regarded as being locally extinct in the previously inhabited open non-forest habitats around Invercargill. Adults are on the wing from November to January.

<i>Asaphodes prymnaea</i> Species of moth

Asaphodes prymnaea is a moth in the family Geometridae. It is endemic to New Zealand and can be found on the Mount Arthur tableland. It is common in limestone valleys. The female of the species is paler and has less distinctive markings than the male. Adults are on the wing in January and February.

<i>Asaphodes recta</i> Species of moth endemic to New Zealand

Asaphodes recta is a moth in the family Geometridae. It is endemic to New Zealand and is found in the southern parts of the South Island. The preferred habitat of this species is open tussock grassland. The adults are on the wing in February and March. Larvae of this species have been reared on species in the genera Ranunculus and Bellis.

<i>Asaphodes sericodes</i> Species of moth

Asaphodes sericodes is a moth in the family Geometridae. It is endemic to New Zealand and has been observed in the southern parts of the South Island. This species inhabits open tussock grasslands in subalpine scrub or wetlands. The female of the species is likely semi-apterous and is flightless. The adult males are on the wing in January.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Asaphodes aphelias (Prout, 1939)". www.nzor.org.nz. Landcare Research New Zealand Ltd. Retrieved 13 February 2017.
  2. ↑ Gordon, Dennis P., ed. (2010). New Zealand inventory of biodiversity: Kingdom animalia : chaetognatha, ecdysozoa, ichnofossils. Vol. 2. p. 458. ISBN   978-1-877257-93-3. OCLC   973607714. OL   25288394M. Wikidata   Q45922947.
  3. 1 2 3 Alfred Philpott (1921). "Notes and descriptions of New Zealand Lepidoptera". Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute. 53: 338. ISSN   1176-6158. Wikidata   Q59640501.
  4. 1 2 3 4 George Vernon Hudson (1939), A supplement to the butterflies and moths of New Zealand, Illustrator: George Hudson, Wellington, p. 410, OCLC   9742724, Wikidata   Q109420935
  5. ↑ Prout, L. B. (1939). "Geometridae: Fauna Indo-Australica". The Macrolepidoptera of the World. 12: 248 – via Biodiversity Heritage Library.
  6. 1 2 3 John Stewart Dugdale (23 September 1988). "Lepidoptera - annotated catalogue, and keys to family-group taxa". Fauna of New Zealand. Department of Scientific and Industrial Research. 14: 172. doi:10.7931/J2/FNZ.14. ISSN   0111-5383. Wikidata   Q45083134.
  7. ↑ J. S. Dugdale (10 November 1971). "Entomology of the Aucklands and other islands south of New Zealand: Lepidoptera, excluding non-crambine Pyralidae" (PDF). Pacific Insects Monographs . 27: 55–172. ISSN   0078-7515. Wikidata   Q64006453.
  8. ↑ Brian Patrick (1 July 2014). "Ecology and conservation of the rare moth Asaphodes frivola Meyrick". The Wētā. 47: 17–38. ISSN   0111-7696. Wikidata   Q105344866.
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