Epichorista mimica

Epichorista mimica
	Male holotype specimen
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Tortricidae
Genus:	Epichorista
Species:	E. mimica
Binomial name
	Epichorista mimica; Philpott, 1930

Last updated March 10, 2025

Epichorista mimica is a species of moth of the family Tortricidae.^[2] This species was first described by Alfred Philpott in 1930. It is endemic to New Zealand and is found in the Ida Range in Otago. This species is regarded as being rare. Adults are on the wing in February.

Taxonomy

E. mimica was first described by Alfred Philpott in 1930 using two specimens collected by Charles E. Clarke at Mount Ida, in the Ida Range in Central Otago, in February.^[3]^[4] George Hudson discussed and illustrated the species in his 1939 publication A supplement to the butterflies and moths of New Zealand.^[5] This species is regarded as being taxonomically unresolved as it likely belongs to another genus.^[1] It is therefore also known as Epichorista (s.l.) mimica.^[2] The male holotype is held at the Auckland War Memorial Museum.^[4]

Description

Philpott described this species as follows:

♂. 14-15 mm. Head, palpi and thorax grey mixed with brown. Antennae grey annulated with black, ciliations in ♂ 1+1⁄2. Abdomen grey mixed with whitish ochreous. Legs ochreous, anterior pair infuscated, tarsi annulated with ochreous. Forewings elongate, suboblong, costa arched basally, thence almost straight, apex rounded, termen bowed, oblique; white, densely irrorated with pale fuscous and ochreous; markings blackish fuscous mixed with ferruginous; basal patch, including three interrupted fasciae, marked by spots on costa, outer margin indented on fold, where it is strongly marked in blackish; a broad irregular fascia from middle of costa, becoming obscure below middle and not reaching dorsum; four spots on costa between median fascia end apex, giving rise to obscure fasciae which coalesce in disc: fringes grey, basally brownish. Hindwings greyish fuscous, paler towards costa: fringes whitish grey with fuscous basal line.^[3]

Philpott pointed out that this species is not superficially similar to any other New Zealand species of Epichorista.^[3] However E. mimica might be confused with Strepsicrates ejectana as it is similar in appearance to a pale specimen of the same.^[3] One of the two specimens taken by Clarke is very indefinitely marked with the bands of color across the forewing being reduced to a series of dots.^[3]

Distribution

This species is endemic to New Zealand.^[1] It has been observed in Central Otago.^[5]E. mimica is regarded as being a rare species and as at 1994 had not been recollected.^[6]

Behaviour

Adults are on the wing in February.^[5]

References

1 2 3 "Epichorista mimica Philpott, 1930". www.nzor.org.nz. Landcare Research New Zealand Ltd. Retrieved 2017-12-10.
1 2 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.
1 2 3 4 5 Philpott, Alfred (1930). "New Species of Lepidoptera in the Collection of the Auckland Museum". Records of the Auckland Institute and Museum . 1: 5. ISSN 0067-0464. JSTOR 42905932. Wikidata Q58676529. This article incorporates text available under the CC BY 4.0 license.
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: 123. doi:10.7931/J2/FNZ.14. ISSN 0111-5383. Wikidata Q45083134.
1 2 3 George Vernon Hudson (1939), A supplement to the butterflies and moths of New Zealand, Illustrator: George Hudson, Wellington: Ferguson and Osborn Limited, p. 435, OCLC 9742724, Wikidata Q109420935 – via Biodiversity Heritage Library This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain .
↑ Patrick, Brian (1994). "Hawkdun Ecological District Invertebrate Survey" (PDF). Science & Research Series. 64: 1–17. ISBN 978-0-478-01553-9. ISSN 0113-3713 . Retrieved 2025-03-09.

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[NZOR-1] 1 2 3 "Epichorista mimica Philpott, 1930". www.nzor.org.nz. Landcare Research New Zealand Ltd. Retrieved 2017-12-10.

[NZIB-2] 1 2 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.

[Philpott1930-3] 1 2 3 4 5 Philpott, Alfred (1930). "New Species of Lepidoptera in the Collection of the Auckland Museum". Records of the Auckland Institute and Museum . 1: 5. ISSN 0067-0464. JSTOR 42905932. Wikidata Q58676529. This article incorporates text available under the CC BY 4.0 license.

[Dugdale1988-4] 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: 123. doi:10.7931/J2/FNZ.14. ISSN 0111-5383. Wikidata Q45083134.

[Hudson1939-5] 1 2 3 George Vernon Hudson (1939), A supplement to the butterflies and moths of New Zealand, Illustrator: George Hudson, Wellington: Ferguson and Osborn Limited, p. 435, OCLC 9742724, Wikidata Q109420935 – via Biodiversity Heritage Library This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain .

[6] Patrick, Brian (1994). "Hawkdun Ecological District Invertebrate Survey" (PDF). Science & Research Series. 64: 1–17. ISBN 978-0-478-01553-9. ISSN 0113-3713 . Retrieved 2025-03-09.

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