Epichorista crypsidora

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Epichorista crypsidora
Fig 25 MA I437625 TePapa Plate-XXVI-The-butterflies full (cropped).jpg
Female
Fig 24 MA I437625 TePapa Plate-XXVI-The-butterflies full (cropped).jpg
Male
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Tortricidae
Genus: Epichorista
Species:
E. crypsidora
Binomial name
Epichorista crypsidora
(Meyrick, 1909) [1]
Synonyms [2]
  • Dipterina crypsidoraMeyrick, 1909
  • Epichorista carcharodesMeyrick, 1914

Epichorista crypsidora is a species of moth of the family Tortricidae. [1] This species was first described by Edward Meyrick in 1909. It is endemic to New Zealand and has been observed in both the North and South Islands. This species inhabits open glades in native forest and scrub. Adults are on the wing from November until January. They are day flying and active in bright sunshine.

Contents

Taxonomy

This species was first described by Edward Meyrick in 1909 using a specimen collected at Western Plains, Invercargill by Alfred Philpott and named Dipterina crypsidora. [3] [4] In 1914 Meyrick, thinking he was describing a new species, named this moth Epichorista carcharodes. [5] In 1923 Meyrick placed Dipterina crypsiodra in the genus Epichorista. [6] George Hudson discussed and illustrated this species under the name Epichorista crysidora in his 1928 book The butterflies and moths of New Zealand. [4] Hudson also synonymised Epichorista carcharodes. [4] Also in 1928 Alfred Philpott discussed the male genitalia of this species. [7] As at 2025, this species is regarded as being taxonomically unresolved as it likely belongs to another genus. [8] It is therefore also known as Epichorista (s.l.) crypsidora. [1] The male holotype specimen is held at the Natural History Museum, London. [2]

Description

Meyrick described the male of this species as follows:

♂ . 12 mm. Head, palpi, and thorax brown mixed with dark fuscous ; palpi under 2, whitish-ochreous towards base ; antennal ciliations 2. Abdomen dark fuscous. Forewings elongate-oblong, costa anteriorly moderately arched, apex obtuse, termen slightly rounded, somewhat oblique ; dark purplish-fuscous, irregularly strigulated with blackish-fuscous ; a narrow blackish-fuscous fascia from middle of costa to 3⁄4 of dorsum, slightly curved, somewhat expanded towards costa ; the dark strigulation tends to form two or three spots towards apex : cilia dark fuscous, towards tips paler and somewhat mixed with orange-ochreous. Hindwings dark fuscous, more blackish posteriorly ; cilia grey mixed with bronzy, with blackish-grey basal shade, tips more whitish. Forewings beneath with, a short longitudinal coppery - orange streak beneath upper margin of cell before middle of wing. [3]

Distribution

This species is endemic to New Zealand. [1] [8] It has been observed in both the North and South Islands. [4]

Habitat and hosts

Larval host plant, Urtica ferox. Urtica ferox 63303968.jpg
Larval host plant, Urtica ferox.

E. crypsidora inhabit open glades in native forest or scrub. [4] The larval host plants of this species are species in the genus Urtica including Urtica ferox, Urtica aspera, Urtica linearifolia and Urtica sykesii. [9]

Behaviour

Adults are on the wing from November until January. [4] They are day flying and are active in bright sunshine. [4]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Gordon, Dennis P., ed. (2010). New Zealand inventory of biodiversity: Kingdom animalia: chaetognatha, ecdysozoa, ichnofossils. Vol. 2. p. 464. ISBN   978-1-877257-93-3. OCLC   973607714. OL   25288394M. Wikidata   Q45922947.
  2. 1 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: 122. doi:10.7931/J2/FNZ.14. ISSN   0111-5383. Wikidata   Q45083134.
  3. 1 2 Edward Meyrick (1909), Notes and descriptions of New Zealand Lepidoptera, vol. 41, p. 11, Wikidata   Q110207561 – via Biodiversity Heritage LibraryPD-icon.svg This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain .
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Hudson, G. V. (1928), The butterflies and moths of New Zealand, Illustrator: George Hudson, Wellington: Ferguson and Osborn Limited, p. 239, LCCN   88133764, OCLC   25449322, Wikidata   Q58593286 – via Biodiversity Heritage LibraryPD-icon.svg This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain .
  5. ↑ Edward Meyrick (1914). "Descriptions of New Zealand Lepidoptera". Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute. 46: 104. ISSN   1176-6158. Wikidata   Q98606535.
  6. ↑ Edward Meyrick (1923). "Descriptions of New Zealand Lepidoptera". Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute. 54: 163. ISSN   1176-6158. Wikidata   Q63102493.
  7. ↑ Alfred Philpott (1928). "The male genitalia of the New Zealand Tortricidae". Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute. 59: 443–468. ISSN   1176-6158. Wikidata   Q133008549.
  8. 1 2 "NZOR Name Details - Epichorista crypsidora (Meyrick, 1909)". www.nzor.org.nz. Archived from the original on 2024-12-26. Retrieved 2025-03-05.
  9. ↑ Brian H. Patrick (2021). "Indigenous hostplants of New Zealand's endemic Lepidoptera". Canterbury Botanical Society Journal. 52: 7. Wikidata   Q110121933.
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