Asaphodes cataphracta

Asaphodes cataphracta
Female
Male
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Geometridae
Genus:	Asaphodes
Species:	A. cataphracta
Binomial name
Asaphodes cataphracta (Meyrick, 1883) [1]
Synonyms [2]
Larentia cataphracta Meyrick, 1883 Xanthorhoe cataphracta (Meyrick, 1883)

Asaphodes cataphracta, also known as the western brown carpet moth, ^[3] is a moth in the family Geometridae. ^[2] It is endemic to New Zealand and is found in the North and South Island. This species prefers grassy or tussock covered mountain side slopes as habitat. The adults of this species are on the wing from December until March. The larvae of A. cataphracta is known to consume native mountain buttercups ( Ranunculaceae ).

Taxonomy

This species was first described by Edward Meyrick in 1883 as Larentia cataphracta using specimens collected at Arthur's Pass at 3,000 feet, Lake Guyon, and Lake Wakatipu at 4,000 feet. ^{[4] [5]} Meyrick gave a fuller description of the species later in 1884. ^[5] George Hudson discussed the species in his 1898 volume New Zealand moths and butterflies and referred to it as Xanthorhoe cataphracta. ^[6] In 1971 John S. Dugdale placed this species in the genus Asaphodes. ^[7] This placement was reaffirmed by Dugdale in 1988. ^[2] The female lectotype, collected at Arthur's Pass, is held at the Natural History Museum, London. ^[2]

Description

Illustration of female A. cataphracta by George Hudson.

Hudson described the species as follows:

The fore-wings are dull yellowish-brown, with numerous slightly waved oblique black and white transverse bands; one very broad white band is situated near the middle, and another at about three-fourths; there is a broad longitudinal reddish-brown line on the costal edge, in which the transverse lines almost disappear; there is also a pale, somewhat triangular, area at the apex. The hind-wings are very pale greyish-ochreous. The cilia of all the wings are very pale ochreous. The female is duller and paler than the male. ^[6]

Distribution and habitat

Observation of live A. cataphracta.

A. cataphracta is endemic to New Zealand. ^{[1] [8]} It can be found in the North Island and the South Island. ^[9] It prefers grassy mountain side slopes as habitat. ^[6] Specimens of this species have been collected in the North Canterbury (NC) and Westland (WD) specimen collection localities as described by Crosby et al. ^[2] The species was collected in February in the Mount Cook district by Alfred Philpott ^[10] as well as at Arthur's Pass to Lake Wakatipu up to 1200m by Meyrick. ^[4] Hudson stated the species occurred in abundance in the Humboldt mountains. ^[6] Specimens were also collected in tussock country near the Homer saddle by George Howes. ^[11]

Behaviour

The adults of this species are on the wing from December until March. ^[12] They are a day flying moth. ^[3]

Habitat and host species

This species inhabits grassy slopes containing its host species at altitudes of between 1000–1300 m. ^[3] The larvae of this species is known to consume native mountain buttercups ( Ranunculaceae ). ^{[13] [3]}

References

1. "Asaphodes cataphracta (Meyrick, 1883)". www.nzor.org.nz. Landcare Research New Zealand Ltd. Retrieved 5 December 2017.
2. Dugdale , J. S. (23 September 1988). "Lepidoptera - annotated catalogue, and keys to family-group taxa". Fauna of New Zealand. 14. Department of Scientific and Industrial Research: 172. doi:10.7931/J2/FNZ.14. ISSN   0111-5383. Wikidata   Q45083134.
3. Crowe, Andrew (2017). Which New Zealand insect?. Penguin Books. p. 20. ISBN   978-0-14-100636-9.
4. Meyrick, Edward (1883). "Monograph of New Zealand Geometrina". New Zealand Journal of Science. 1: 526–531 – via Biodiversity Heritage Library.
5. Edward Meyrick (May 1884). "A Monograph of the New Zealand Geometrina". Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute. 16: 78. ISSN   1176-6158. Wikidata   Q109615359.
6. Hudson, G. V. (1898). New Zealand moths and butterflies (Macro-lepidoptera). London: West, Newman & co. p. 61. doi:10.5962/bhl.title.7912.
7. Dugdale, J. S. (10 November 1971). "Entomology of the Aucklands and other islands south of New Zealand: Lepidoptera, excluding non-crambine Pyralidae". Pacific Insects Monographs . 27: 55–172. ISSN   0078-7515. Wikidata   Q64006453.
8. Gordon, Dennis P., ed. (2010). New Zealand inventory of biodiversity: Kingdom animalia: chaetognatha, ecdysozoa, ichnofossils. Vol. 2. p. 459. ISBN   978-1-877257-93-3. OCLC   973607714. OL   25288394M. Wikidata   Q45922947.
9. "Western Brown Carpet (Asaphodes cataphracta)". iNaturalist. Retrieved 2025-03-25.
10. Philpott, A. (1930). "The Lepidoptera of Mount Cook District, with descriptions of new species" (PDF). Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute. 61: 419–439 – via National Library of New Zealand.
11. Howes, W. George. "Lepidoptera Collecting at the Homer. With Descriptions of Two New Species" (PDF). Transactions and Proceedings of the Royal Society of New Zealand. 73: 90–96 – via National Library of New Zealand.
12. Hudson, G. V. (1928), The butterflies and moths of New Zealand, Illustrator: George Hudson, Wellington: Ferguson and Osborn Limited, p. 119, LCCN   88133764, OCLC   25449322, Wikidata   Q58593286
13. "Mt Aspiring Crown Pastoral Land Tenure Review: Conservation Resources Report - Part 1". www.linz.govt.nz/. Land Information New Zealand. November 2005. p. 91. Retrieved 7 February 2017.