Asaphodes periphaea

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Asaphodes periphaea
Asaphodes peripheraea male.jpg
Male
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Geometridae
Genus: Asaphodes
Species:
A. periphaea
Binomial name
Asaphodes periphaea
(Meyrick, 1905) [1]
Synonyms [2] [1]
  • Xanthorhoe periphaeaMeyrick, 1905
  • Asaphodes peripheraea(Meyrick, 1905)

Asaphodes periphaea is a moth in the family Geometridae. [2] 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.

Contents

Taxonomy

This species was first described by Edward Meyrick in 1905 using a specimen collected by George Hudson at Humboldt Range, Lake Wakatipu at 4000 ft and named Xanthorhoe periphaea. [3] In 1928 George Hudson discussed and illustrated this species under the name Xanthorhoe periphaea. [4] In 1939 Louis Beethoven Prout placed this species in the genus Larentia. [5] This placement was not accepted by New Zealand taxonomists. [6] In 1971 J. S. Dugdale placed this species within the genus Asaphodes under the name Asaphodes perpheraea. [7] In 1988 J. S. Dugdale confirmed this placement but perpetuated the error in the species name by using Asaphodes perpheraea when discussing this species. [2] The male holotype specimen is held at the Natural History Museum, London. [2]

Description

Illustration of male A. periphaea by George Hudson. Fig 36 MA I437612 TePapa Plate-XIII-The-butterflies full (cropped).jpg
Illustration of male A. periphaea by George Hudson.

Meyrick first described this species as follows:

♂ . 26 mm. Head, thorax, and abdomen fuscous sprinkled with whitish. Fore-wings triangular, termen slightly bowed, oblique; light fuscous, sprinkled with darker fuscous and whitish; two very obscurely darker fasciae indicating median band, first curved, preceded by several white dots, second irregularly curved outwards on upper 3⁄5, followed by a series of white dots; some whitish dots indicating subterminal line, edged with obscure darker shades : cilia fuscous-whitish, with two fuscous lines. Hind-wings rather elongate, light fuscous; cilia as in fore-wings. [3]

The female of this species is brachypterous and was first collected in January 1987. [8]

Distribution

This species is endemic to New Zealand. [1] A. periphaea has only been collected in the mountains in the north, west and south of Lake Wakatipu. [8] In January 1897 this species as found at Slate Basin and Jane Peak in Otago. [8]

Habitat

The preferred habitat of this species is alpine bluffs as well as mountainous open country. [8] [4]

Behaviour

This species is on the wing from January to March. [8] [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 aphelias</i> Species of moth

Asaphodes aphelias is a species of moth in the family Geometridae. 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.

<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, has been observed in both the North and South Islands and inhabits native forest. The adults of this species are on the wing from February to May and July to September.

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

Asaphodes cataphracta is a moth in the family Geometridae. It is endemic to New Zealand and is found in the 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).

<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 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 and 1100 m. Adults are on the wing in March.

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

Asaphodes omichlias is a moth in the family Geometridae. It is endemic to New Zealand and has been observed in both the North and South Islands. This species inhabits rocky, open country in high mountains. Adults are on the wing in January and February. The appearance of the adult of this species is variable with some specimens having a paler and more grey appearance than the more usual brown appearance. Its colouration ensures it blends well with its preferred habitat rocky, open country in the high mountains.

<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 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.

<i>Austrocidaria cedrinodes</i> Species of moth endemic to New Zealand

Austrocidaria cedrinodes is a species of moth of the family Geometridae. It was first described by Edward Meyrick in 1911. This species is endemic to New Zealand and has been observed in the North, South and Stewart Islands. Although widespread across the country A. cedrinodes is regarded as being a scarce species. It inhabits open native scrubland populated with species of Leptospermum, Dracophyllum as well as species in the genus Coprosma. This latter genus contains the larval host plants of A. cedrinodes. Adults are on the wing commonly from September until February and are nocturnal and attracted to light.

<i>Helastia cymozeucta</i> Species of moth endemic to New Zealand

Helastia cymozeucta is a moth of the family Geometridae. It was first described by Edward Meyrick in 1913. This species is endemic to New Zealand and is found in both the North and the upper parts of the South Island. The adults of this species have been observed on the wing from November to January as well as in March.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Asaphodes periphaea (Meyrick, 1905)". www.nzor.org.nz. Retrieved 2022-01-22.
  2. 1 2 3 4 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: 174. doi:10.7931/J2/FNZ.14. ISSN   0111-5383. Wikidata   Q45083134.
  3. 1 2 Edward Meyrick (15 July 1905). "XII. Notes on New Zealand Lepidoptera". Transactions of the Royal Entomological Society of London. 53 (2): 220. doi:10.1111/J.1365-2311.1905.TB02451.X. ISSN   0035-8894. Wikidata   Q54553180.
  4. 1 2 3 Hudson, G. V. (1928), The butterflies and moths of New Zealand, Illustrator: George Hudson, Wellington: Ferguson and Osborn Limited, p. 113, LCCN   88133764, OCLC   25449322, Wikidata   Q58593286
  5. ↑ Prout, L. B. (1939). "Geometridae: Fauna Indo-Australica". The Macrolepidoptera of the World. 12: 264 – via Biodiversity Heritage Library.
  6. ↑ R. C. Craw (April 1987). "Revision of the genus Helastia sensu stricto with description of a new genus (Lepidoptera: Geometridae: Larentiinae)". New Zealand Journal of Zoology. 14 (2): 269–293. doi:10.1080/03014223.1987.10422997. ISSN   0301-4223. Wikidata   Q54670161.
  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: 93–95. ISSN   0078-7515. Wikidata   Q64006453.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 A.F. Mark; K.J.M. Dickinson; B.H. Patrick; et al. (December 1989). "An ecological survey of the central part of the Eyre Ecological District, northern Southland, New Zealand". Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand. 19 (4): 349–384. doi:10.1080/03036758.1989.10421841. ISSN   0303-6758. Wikidata   Q56974942.
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