Asaphodes stinaria

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Asaphodes stinaria
Asaphodes stinaria male.jpg
Male
Asaphodes stinaria female.jpg
Female
Status NZTCS NV.svg
Nationally Vulnerable (NZ TCS) [1]
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Geometridae
Genus: Asaphodes
Species:
A. stinaria
Binomial name
Asaphodes stinaria
(Guenée, 1868) [2]
Synonyms [3] [4]
  • Camptogramma stinariaGuenée, 1868
  • Xanthorhoe stinaria(Guenée, 1868)
  • Larentia stinaria(Guenée, 1868)

Asaphodes stinaria is a moth in the family Geometridae. It is endemic to New Zealand and has previously been observed in both the North and South Islands. The range of this species has contracted and it has recently only been located in Westland, Otago and Southland. This species inhabits wetlands, tussock country, and in grassy openings in native forest. The larval host species has been hypothesised as being 'hairy' Ranunculus species however as at 2000 this hasn't been confirmed. It is classified as Nationally Vulnerable by the Department of Conservation. There has been considerable reductions of the range of this species with it possibly becoming extinct in eastern parts of New Zealand.

Contents

Taxonomy

A. stinaria was first described by Achille Guenée in 1868 from a specimen collected in Canterbury by Richard William Fereday. [3] [5] Guenée named the species Camptogramma stinaria. [5] In 1898 George Vernon Hudson subsequently placed this species within the genus Xanthorhoe. [4] In 1971 John S. Dugdale assigned Xanthorhoe stinaria to the genus Asaphodes. [6] He confirmed this placement in 1988. [3] The male holotype specimen is held at the Natural History Museum, London. [3]

Description

Illustration of A. stinaria by George Hudson. Fig 13 MA I437613 TePapa Plate-XIV-The-butterflies full (cropped).jpg
Illustration of A. stinaria by George Hudson.

Guenée described the species as follows:

Superior wings ochreous-yellow, suffused with blackish ; the only markings are two distant lines, the first forming a single angle in the cellule, the second simply wavy, these lines are slender, white, narrowly bordered with black on the costa, where they approach nearer one to the other, and followed by a brownish tinge ; extremity of the fringes finely marked with white ; inferior wings ochreous-yellow, without markings above, but beneath they are powdered with red, and traversed by six parallel lines, of which the four first are placed close together and discoidal, the two others isolated and toothed. Body concoloroua, without markings. Antennas of the male furnished with long pubescent and spatulated pectinations. [5]

Distribution

A. stinaria is endemic to New Zealand. [2] [7] This species has historically occurred in the following areas but has not been located there recently: Taupo, Hawkes Bay, North Canterbury, Mid Canterbury, South Canterbury, Dunedin and Fiordland. Areas where it has been located recently include Westland, Central Otago, Otago Lakes and Southland. [8]

Ecology and habitat

Adults of the species emerge during the months of November until March with December being the most common month in which the adult moth has been collected. [9] A. stinaria has been found in wetlands, [10] tussock country, [11] open non-forest habitat as well as grassy openings in forested habitat. [9] [12]

Host plants

Fereday is recorded to have stated that this species frequented Carex subdola . [13] It is currently thought that A. stinaria is associated with a 'hairy' Ranunculus species. [14] However at present the name of the specific host species is unconfirmed. [8]

Conservation status

This species has considerably reduced its range in recent times. It is regarded as possibly becoming extinct in the eastern parts of New Zealand. [8] The moth has therefore been classified under the New Zealand Threat Classification system as being Nationally Vulnerable. [1] It has been suggested that the decline of this moth is as a result of habitat destruction and the overgrazing of its possible host plant. [11]

Related Research Articles

<i>Orocrambus sophronellus</i> Species of moth

Orocrambus sophronellus is a moth in the family Crambidae. This species is endemic to New Zealand. This species has been classified as Data Deficient by the Department of Conservation.

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

Asaphodes adonis is a species of moth in the family Geometridae. It is endemic to the South Island of New Zealand. It is found in native forest at altitudes of between 300 and 1200 metres. Larvae have been reared on species of Ranunculus. Adults are on the wing in January and February.

<i>Xanthorhoe bulbulata</i> Species of moth endemic to New Zealand

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

<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 chlamydota</i> Species of moth endemic to New Zealand

Asaphodes chlamydota is a moth in the family Geometridae. It is endemic to New Zealand, and can be found in the lower part of the North Island and in the South Island. It inhabits native forest and shrublands. The larvae of this species feeds on native Clematis plants including Clematis afoliata. Adults are on the wing from November to April and are regarded as having intermedia flight powers.

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

Asaphodes frivola, also known as the remuremu looper moth or Foveaux looper moth, is a species of moth in the family Geometridae with flightless females. It is endemic to New Zealand, and critically endangered, occurring in a very narrow and specialised habitat at just two small coastal sites near Invercargill.

<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 and has been collected in both the North and South Islands. It seems to inhabit the margins of native forest and also frequents plains, with an affinity for gorse hedges. The host plants of the larvae of this species are unknown. The adults are on the wing in December and January. It is classified as critically endangered by the Department of Conservation. There has been a contraction of range of A. obarata with it now being regarded as locally extinct in both Dunedin and Invercargill.

<i>Theoxena scissaria</i> Species of moth

Theoxena is a monotypic moth genus in the family Geometridae erected by Edward Meyrick in 1883. Its only species, Theoxena scissaria, was first described by Achille Guenée in 1868. It is endemic to New Zealand. This species has been classified as nationally vulnerable by the Department of Conservation.

<i>Dasyuris partheniata</i> Species of moth

Dasyuris partheniata is a species of moth in the family Geometridae. It is endemic to New Zealand. It is classified as "At Risk, Declining" 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>Euxoa ceropachoides</i> Species of moth

Euxoa ceropachoides, commonly known as Fereday's cutworm, is a species of moth in the family Noctuidae. It is endemic to New Zealand. It is classified as Not Threatened by the Department of Conservation.

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

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.

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

Asaphodes clarata is a species of moth in the family Geometridae. This species is endemic to New Zealand and has been found on the North and South Islands. The species inhabits open grassy areas, including tussock grasslands, in montane habitat. The larvae feed on the leaves of Ranunculus species. The adult moths are day flying and are on the wing from December to February and have been shown to pollinate Celmisia laricifolia and Hebe pinguifolia.

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

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

Asaphodes helias is a species of moth in the family Geometridae. It is endemic to New Zealand. It has been found in the middle and southern parts of the South Island. This species frequents tussock and scrubby habitat. The host plants of the larvae of this species include Cardamine and Ranunculus species. They have also been witnessed feeding on exotic buttercup species in the genus Bellis. Adults are on the wing in January and February.

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

Asaphodes ida is a species of moth in the family Geometridae. It is endemic to New Zealand. This moth can be found in upland or alpine habitat in Canterbury and Otago. Although not classified under the New Zealand Threat Classification system, this species is regarded as rare.

<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 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.

References

  1. 1 2 Hoare, R.J.B.; Dugdale, J.S.; Edwards, E.D.; Gibbs, G.W.; Patrick, B.H.; Hitchmough, R.A.; Rolfe, J.R. (2017). Conservation status of New Zealand butterflies and moths (Lepidoptera), 2015 (PDF). Wellington, New Zealand: New Zealand Department of Conservation. p. 6. ISBN   9781988514383.
  2. 1 2 "Asaphodes stinaria (Guenee, 1868)". www.nzor.org.nz. Landcare Research New Zealand Ltd. Retrieved 2018-05-02.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Dugdale, J. S. (1988). "Lepidoptera - annotated catalogue, and keys to family-group taxa" (PDF). Fauna of New Zealand. 14: 174. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 January 2019. Retrieved 1 May 2018.
  4. 1 2 Hudson, G. V. (1898). New Zealand moths and butterflies (macro-lepidoptera). London: Newman & Co. p. 60. doi:10.5962/bhl.title.7912.
  5. 1 2 3 Guenée, A. (1868). "New species of heterocerous Lepidoptera from Canterbury, New Zealand collected by Mr. R.W. Fereday". The Entomologist's Monthly Magazine. 5: 92. ISSN   0013-8908 – 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. 1 2 3 Patrick, Brian; Dugdale, John S. (2000). Conservation status of the New Zealand Lepidoptera (PDF). Wellington, New Zealand: Department of Conservation. p. 20. ISBN   0478218672.
  9. 1 2 Sherley, Greg (August 1989). Important Conservation research topics on terrestrial arthropod species in New Zealand (PDF). Department of Conservation. Retrieved 2 May 2018.
  10. ↑ Patrick, Brian (2014). "Ecology and conservation of the rare moth Asaphodes frivola Meyrick". Weta. 47: 17–38.
  11. 1 2 Pawson, Stephen M.; Emberson, Rowan M. (2000). "The conservation status of invertebrates in Canterbury". Conservation Advisory Science Notes. hdl:10182/1658. ISSN   1171-9834.
  12. ↑ Watts, C. (2016). "Invertebrate services within Cape to City and comparison of environmental DNA with conventional invertebrate community monitoring: Research Synthesis 2015/2016" (PDF). Landcare Research New Zealand Ltd. Retrieved 13 May 2018.
  13. ↑ Meyrick, Edward (1884). "A Monograph of the New Zealand Geometrina". Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute. 16: 49–113. Retrieved 2 May 2018.
  14. ↑ Mt Aspiring Station Conservation Resources Report Part 1 (Report). Department of Conservation. November 2005. pp. 1–62. Retrieved 2 May 2018.
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