Asaphodes cinnabari

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Asaphodes cinnabari
Asaphodes cinnabari female.jpg
Female
Asaphodes cinnabari male.jpg
Male
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Geometridae
Genus: Asaphodes
Species:
A. cinnabari
Binomial name
Asaphodes cinnabari
(Howes, 1912)
Synonyms [1]
  • Larentia cinnabariHowes, 1912
  • Xanthorhoe cinnabari(Howes, 1912)
  • Xanthorhoe cinnabaris(Howes, 1912)
  • Xanthorhoe cinnabari obsoletaProut, 1939

Asaphodes cinnabari is a species of moth in the family Geometridae. This species is endemic to New Zealand and can be found in Otago and Southland where it lives in alpine swampy habitat. Adults of this species are on the wing in November.

Contents

Taxonomy

This species was described by George Howes in 1912 as Larentia cinnabari using specimens collected by himself in the Garvie Mountains and at the Cinnabar Gold Company's claim in Central Otago . [2] The species was originally discovered by his brother A. A. Howes at the Garvie Mountains. [2] George Hudson discussed and illustrated this species under the name Xanthorhoe cinnabaris in his 1928 book The Butterflies and Moths of New Zealand. [3] L. B. Prout proposed the subspecies Asaphodes cinnabari obsoleta, however this was synonymised by John S. Dugdale in 1988. [4] [5] In 1971 Dugdale assigned this species, called by him Xanthorhoe cinnabaris, to the genus Asaphodes. [6] In 1988 Dugdale used the original description epithet cinnabari in his annotated catalogue of New Zealand Lepidoptera but confirmed his placement of this species into the genus Asaphodes. [1] The holotype, collected at Nevis, is held at the Natural History Museum, London. [1]

Description

A. cinnabari illustrated by George Hudson. Fig 44 MA I437610 TePapa Plate-XI-The-butterflies full (cropped).jpg
A. cinnabari illustrated by George Hudson.

Howes described the species as follows:

Expanse — in ♂︎, 20 mm. ; in ♀︎, 22 mm. Forewings pale orange, marked with brown and light ochre. Basal area brown, extending to about 1⁄6, where it is edged with a dark line, then a pale-ochreous thin line, which is followed by pale orange to 1⁄3. A dark-brown area from about 1⁄3 to 2⁄3, edged on both sides with a pale-ochre line. This brown area is bent out towards termen at centre of wing, and slightly constricted below. Subterminal line appears as dark shading on costa, and very faintly below. An oblique shaded patch below apex. With the exception of these markings, from 2⁄3 to termen is pale orange. There is a terminal series of small dark dots. Cilia purplish-brown, darker at base. Hind-wings uniform orange, with slight dark dots along termen. Cilia purplish-brown. In the ♀︎ the markings are the same as in the ♂︎ hut the moth is paler. Considerable variation in depth of colouring and extent of the dark markings showed in the specimens taken. [2]

Distribution

This species is endemic to New Zealand. [7] This species is found in Otago and Southland. Along with the type locality, this species has also been collected in locations such as at the Cinnabar Gold Company claim, [2] Greenstone Valley, [3] and Gorge Hill in Mossburn. [8]

Biology and life cycle

The adults of this species is on the wing in November. [2]

Host plants and habitat

The species is an alpine moth and has been collected amongst tussock in swampy habitat. [2] [9] A. cinnabari has been reared in captivity on Hypochaeris radicata . [10]

Threats

The draining and destruction of the swampland habitat this species relies on has led to a decrease in the population of this species in Southland. [11]

Related Research Articles

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

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

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

Asaphodes obarata is a moth in the family Geometridae. It is endemic to New Zealand. It is classified as critically endangered by the Department of Conservation.

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

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<i>Meterana grandiosa</i> Species of moth

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

Asaphodes declarata is a species of moth in the family Geometridae. This species is endemic to New Zealand and has been observed in the southern parts of the South Island. This species prefers open tussock grassland habitat amounts beech forest and in mountainous terrain. It can be found at altitudes of between 450 to 1750 m. The adults of this species are on the wing from November to March. The moths can vary both in size and, with the female of the species, in markings.

<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 exoriens</i> Species of moth

Asaphodes exoriens is a species of moth in the family Geometridae. This species is endemic to New Zealand and has been found in Central Otago. This is an alpine species and frequents open grassy habitat. They can also be found in upland wetland habitat at altitudes between 800-1100 m. Adults are on the wing in March.

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

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

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

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References

  1. 1 2 3 Dugdale, J. S. (1988). "Lepidoptera - annotated catalogue, and keys to family-group taxa" (PDF). Fauna of New Zealand. 14: 172–173. Retrieved 6 June 2018.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Howes, George (1912). "New Species of Lepidoptera, with notes on the Larvae and Pupae of some New Zealand Butterflies". Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute. 44: 203–208 – via Biodiversity Heritage Library.
  3. 1 2 Hudson, G. V. (1928). The Butterflies and Moths of New Zealand. Wellington: Ferguson & Osborn Ltd. p. 111. OCLC   25449322.
  4. ↑ Dugdale, J. S. (1988). "Lepidoptera — annotated catalogue, and keys to family-group taxa" (PDF). Fauna of New Zealand. 14: 194. Retrieved 6 June 2017.
  5. ↑ Prout, L.B. (1939). "Geometridae: Fauna Indo-Australica". The Macrolepidoptera of the World (Stuttgart). 12: 237–292 – via Biodiversity Heritage Library.
  6. ↑ Dugdale, J. S. (1971). "Entomology of the Aucklands and other islands south of New Zealand: Lepidoptera, excluding non-crambine Pyralidae". Pacific Insects Monograph. 27: 55–172.
  7. ↑ 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.
  8. ↑ Howes., W. George (1946). "Lepidoptera Collecting at the Homer, with Descriptions of New Species". Transactions and Proceedings of the Royal Society of New Zealand. 76: 139–147.
  9. ↑ Dickinson, K. J. M.; Mark, A. F.; Barratt, B. I. P.; Patrick, B. H. (March 1998). "Rapid ecological survey, inventory and implementation: A case study from Waikaia Ecological Region, New Zealand". Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand. 28 (1): 83–156. doi:10.1080/03014223.1998.9517556.
  10. ↑ Patrick, Brian (2000). Conservation status of two rare New Zealand geometrid moths (PDF). Wellington, N.Z.: Dept. of Conservation. ISBN   978-0478219463 . Retrieved 6 June 2018.
  11. ↑ Salmon, J.T. (1973). "The modifications of the New Zealand environment by man and their effects upon arthropods". New Zealand Entomologist. 5 (3): 250–252. doi:10.1080/00779962.1973.9723014.
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