Epiphryne xanthaspis

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Epiphryne xanthaspis
Epiphryne xanthaspis female.jpg
female
Epiphryne xanthaspis male.jpg
male
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Arthropoda
Class:
Insecta
Order:
Lepidoptera
Family:
Geometridae
Genus:
Epiphryne
Species:
E. xanthaspis
Binomial name
Epiphryne xanthaspis
(Meyrick, 1883) [1]
Synonyms [2]
  • Hermione xanthaspisMeyrick, 1883
  • Aulopola xanthaspis(Meyrick, 1883)
  • Venusia xanthaspis(Meyrick, 1883)

Epiphryne xanthaspis, also known as the Aristotelia Looper, is a moth in the family Geometridae. [1] This species was first described by Edward Meyrick in 1883. It is endemic to New Zealand and can be found from the central North Island southward to the bottom of the South Island. The preferred habitat of this species is sub-alpine native forest. The larval hosts of E. xanthaspis are plants in the genus Aristotelia and include Aristotelia fruticosa. Adults are on the wing from December until March.

Contents

Taxonomy

This species was first described by Edward Meyrick in 1883 using specimens collected at Lake Guyon by R. W. Fereday and named Hermione xanthaspis. [3] Meyrick gave a fuller description of the species in 1884. [4] In 1886 Meyrick renamed the genus in to which he had previously assigned this species Aulopola. [5] George Hudson described and illustrated this species both in his 1898 book New Zealand moths and butterflies (Macro-lepidoptera) as well as in his 1928 book The butterflies and moths of New Zealand. [6] [7] In both publications Hudson used the name Venusia xanthaspis for this species. [8] In 1988 J. S. Dugdale discussed this species under the name Epiphryne xanthaspis. [8] The male lectotype specimen is held at the Natural History Museum, London. [8]

Description

Observation of E. xanthaspis. Epiphryne xanthaspis 175892644.jpg
Observation of E. xanthaspis.

Meyrick described this species as follows:

Male, female.—27–30 mm. Forewings moderate; hindmargin hardly bowed; bright yellow; costa suffused with reddish-fuscous, and marked with five short oblique darker marks; a transverse oval dark fuscous spot in disc above middle, sometimes touching costal suffusion; a transverse row of very faint fuscous dots from last costal mark. Hindwings moderate, hindmargin slightly projecting in middle; very pale whitish-yellow; two strongly curved transverse rows of very faint fuscous dots between middle and hindmargin. [4]

Distribution

E. xanthaspis is endemic to New Zealand and can be found from the central North Island south. [1] [2] [9] As well as its type locality, this species has been observed at Mount Ruapehu and in the Tararua Ranges in the North Island as well as at Mount Arthur, Otira, and the Routeburn Valley. [7]

Habitat and hosts

Larval host plant Aristotelia fruticosa. Aristotelia fruticosa 242598846.jpg
Larval host plant Aristotelia fruticosa.

The preferred habitat of this species is sub-alpine native forest. [7] The larval hosts of E. xanthaspis are plant species in the genus Aristotelia and include Aristotelia fruticosa . [9] [10] Adult moths have been recorded as pollinating the flowers of Olearia virgata . [11]

Behaviour

The adults of this species are on the wing from December to March. [7] [9] Adults are regarded as being 'medium fliers' with intermedia flight powers and remain active in light breezes. [10] Adults are attracted to light. [10]

Related Research Articles

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Cephalissa is a monotypic moth genus in the family Geometridae. Its only species, Cephalissa siria, the orange triangle moth, is endemic to New Zealand. This species has been classified as nationally vulnerable by the Department of Conservation. It has suffered a contraction of its range, no longer being seen in Dunedin or Invercargill. It is currently found in the Mt Watkin Scenic Reserve, in eastern Otago, in the Rongahere Gorge and in the Dansey Ecological District. C. siria is known to inhabit kahikatea forest amongst Carex species as well as short tussock grasslands and shrubland. The larval host plant is Fuchsia perscandens. Adult moths are on the wing in October and November.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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<i>Trachypepla galaxias</i> Species of moth endemic to New Zealand

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<i>Trachypepla lichenodes</i> Species of moth endemic to New Zealand

Trachypepla lichenodes is a moth of the family Oecophoridae first described by Edward Meyrick in 1883. It is endemic to New Zealand and has been found in both the North and South Islands. It inhabits native forest and adults of this species are on the wing from November to January. The adult moths are similarly coloured to native lichen species however this colouration is variable in the extent and depth on the forewings.

<i>Trachypepla protochlora</i> Species of moth endemic to New Zealand

Trachypepla protochlora is a moth of the family Oecophoridae first described by Edward Meyrick in 1883. It is endemic to New Zealand and is found in both the North and South Islands. The preferred habitat of this species is native forest and adults are on the wing from October until February. Adults can be variable in their green shaded colour as well as in the intensity of markings on their forewings. The greenish ground colouration of this moth ensures they are well camouflaged when at rest on green mosses and lichens.

References

  1. 1 2 3 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.
  2. 1 2 "Epiphryne xanthaspis (Meyrick, 1883)". www.nzor.org.nz. Retrieved 2022-04-27.
  3. ↑ Edward Meyrick (September 1883). "Monograph of New Zealand Geometrina". New Zealand Journal of Science. 1: 526. Wikidata   Q110691894.
  4. 1 2 Edward Meyrick (May 1884). "A Monograph of the New Zealand Geometrina". Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute. 16: 61. ISSN   1176-6158. Wikidata   Q109615359.
  5. ↑ Edward Meyrick (May 1886). "Notes on Nomenclature of New Zealand". Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute. 18: 184. ISSN   1176-6158. Wikidata   Q109615399.
  6. ↑ George Vernon Hudson (1898), New Zealand moths and butterflies (Macro-lepidoptera) , Illustrator: George Hudson, London, p. 54, doi:10.5962/BHL.TITLE.7912, OCLC   980865393, Wikidata   Q19073637
  7. 1 2 3 4 George Vernon Hudson (1928), The butterflies and moths of New Zealand, Illustrator: George Hudson, Wellington, p. 106, LCCN   88133764, OCLC   25449322, Wikidata   Q58593286
  8. 1 2 3 John Stewart Dugdale (23 September 1988). "Lepidoptera - annotated catalogue, and keys to family-group taxa". Fauna of New Zealand. Department of Scientific and Industrial Research. 14: 179. doi:10.7931/J2/FNZ.14. ISSN   0111-5383. Wikidata   Q45083134.
  9. 1 2 3 Andrew Crowe (2017). Which New Zealand insect?. Auckland: Penguin Books. p. 23. ISBN   978-0-14-100636-9. OL   3731007M. Wikidata   Q105622564.
  10. 1 2 3 Graeme White (1991). "The Changing Abundance of Moths in a Tussock Grassland, 1962- 1989, and 50-Year to 70-Year Trends" (PDF). New Zealand Journal of Ecology . 15 (1): 5–22. ISSN   0110-6465. JSTOR   24054454. Wikidata   Q107569572.
  11. ↑ Richard B. Primack (July 1983). "Insect pollination in the New Zealand mountain flora". New Zealand Journal of Botany. 21 (3): 317–333. doi:10.1080/0028825X.1983.10428561. ISSN   0028-825X. Wikidata   Q54669862.
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