Glaucocharis elaina

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Glaucocharis elaina
Glaucocharis elaina female.jpg
Female
Glaucocharis elaina male.jpg
Male
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Crambidae
Subfamily: Crambinae
Tribe: Diptychophorini
Genus: Glaucocharis
Species:
G. elaina
Binomial name
Glaucocharis elaina
(Meyrick, 1882) [1]
Synonyms [2]
  • Diptychophora elaina Meyrick, 1882
  • Pareromene elaina(Meyrick, 1882)

Glaucocharis elaina is a species of moth in the family Crambidae. [3] This species was described by Edward Meyrick in 1882. It is endemic to New Zealand and is found throughout the North and South Island with the exception of the extreme south of the South Island. The preferred habitat of this species is lowland native forest and as adults the species is attracted to broken ground including road or rail cuttings. Larvae feed on moss species including those in the genus Funaria. This species has two distinct broods during each year. Adults are on the wing from October to April, are nocturnal and are attracted to light.

Contents

Taxonomy

This species was first described by Edward Meyrick in 1882 and named Diptychophora elaina. [4] Meyrick gave a fuller description of this species in 1883. [5] George Hudson discussed and illustrated this species under that name in his 1928 book The butterflies and moths of New Zealand. [6] In 1929 Alfred Philpott studied the male genitalia of this species. [7] In 1971 David Gaskin placed this species in the genus Pareromene. [8] In 1985 Gaskin again discussed this species and placed it in the genus Glaucocharis. [9] The male lectotype, collected at the Wellington Botanic Garden by Meyrick, is held at the Natural History Museum, London. [2]

Description

G. elaina showing how well its colouration works as camouflage. Glaucocharis elaina 103316555.jpg
G. elaina showing how well its colouration works as camouflage.
Live specimen. Glaucocharis elaina 106538921.jpg
Live specimen.

Gaskin described the egg of this species as follows:

Flattened ovoid; no ribs; having a microscopic hexagonal pattern on shell; dimensions 0.32-0.34 X 0.19-0.20 mm. [8]

Gaskin described the larva of this species as follows:

The fully grown caterpillar is about three-quarters of an inch long and greyish in colour. It has an irregular reddish line down the back, and some black and whitish marks. [10]

Hudson described the adult of this species as follows:

The expansion of the wings is slightly over 12 inch. The fore-wings are pale grey slightly ochreous-tinged and finely speckled with blackish, especially near the base and termen, the space between the two transverse lines being usually paler; there is an elongate black spot slightly above the middle of the wing. The hind-wings are pale grey. [6]

Hudson states that the grey colouration of this moth is protective and helps camouflage it against lichen covered rocks or tree trunks. [6]

This species is very similar in appearance to Glaucocharis parorma and the two species have often been confused in collections. [8] However G. parorma has a series of black terminal dots on its forewing which G. elaina lacks and so the two species are able to be distinguished via that characteristic. [6] [8]

Distribution

This species is endemic to New Zealand and other than in the extreme south of the South Island is found throughout the country. [1] [6]

Habitat and hosts

The adults inhabit lowland native forest and can often be found near broken ground. [6] They have been seen in numbers at road or rail cuttings near native forest or bush. [10] [6] The larvae of this species feed on mosses including species in the genus Funaria . [11] [8]

Life cycle and behaviour

Both Hudson and Gaskin believed this species has two distinct broods. [6] [10] The eggs are laid in patches in early to late summer on moss. [10] Gaskin hypothesised that this species spends the winter months as pupae. [10] The larvae create their pupa in a chamber amongst the moss the caterpillar feeds from. [10] The adults of G. elaina are on the wing from October until April, are nocturnal and are attracted to light. [6]

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<i>Glaucocharis auriscriptella</i> Species of moth endemic to New Zealand

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<i>Glaucocharis epiphaea</i> Species of moth

Glaucocharis epiphaea is a species of moth in the family Crambidae. It was described by Edward Meyrick in 1885. It is endemic to New Zealand and has been observed in both the North and South Islands. G. epiphaea prefers mountainous habitat and frequents very damp spots including alpine and subalpine moss bogs. Larvae feed on the moss Dawsonia superba. Adults are on the wing from September until March and are diurnal.

<i>Glaucocharis harmonica</i> Species of moth

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<i>Glaucocharis helioctypa</i> Species of moth endemic to New Zealand

Glaucocharis helioctypa is a moth in the family Crambidae. It was first described by Edward Meyrick in 1882. It is endemic to New Zealand and is only found in the South Island. It can be found throughout the South Island and inhabits native forest in lowland to subalpine altitudes. It has an affinity for damp grassy open situations near native forest or scrub. Larvae of Glaucocharis species feed on mosses and liverworts. Adults are on the wing from November until February. It is dayflying and has been observed flying low over cushion bogs and moss fields. Adults have also been observed flying actively in the hottest sunshine.

<i>Glaucocharis holanthes</i> Species of moth endemic to New Zealand

Glaucocharis holanthes is a moth of the family Crambidae. It was first described by Edward Meyrick in 1885. It is endemic to New Zealand and is found in the North and South Islands. This species inhabits native forest or scrub and frequents rock-faces where moss grows. It is apparently attached to places having an exceptionally heavy rainfall. Larvae of Glaucocharis species feed on mosses and liverworts. Adults are on the wing from November to February. It flies very rapidly in hot sunshine and is an elusive insect to catch.

<i>Glaucocharis interruptus</i> Species of moth endemic to New Zealand

Glaucocharis interruptus is a moth of the family Crambidae. It was first described by Cajetan von Felder, Rudolf Felder and Alois Friedrich Rogenhofer in 1875. It is endemic to New Zealand and is found in the North and South Islands. This species inhabits native forest and scrub at lowland and subalpine altitudes. It has been observed in scrub in river valleys or in mountain ravines. Larvae of Glaucocharis species feed on mosses and liverworts. Adults can be distinguished from similar appearing species by the Y-shaped reniform. They are on the wing from October to March and it is likely this species has two broods a year.

<i>Glaucocharis leucoxantha</i> Species of moth endemic to New Zealand

Glaucocharis leucoxantha is a moth in the family Crambidae. It was first described by Edward Meyrick in 1882. It is endemic to New Zealand and can be found in the North, South and Stewart Islands. This species inhabits native forest. Hudson states this species can be met with in South Island native beech forests at elevations of from 1,500 to 2,500 feet above the sea-level. Larvae of Glaucocharis species feed on mosses and liverworts. Adults are on the wing from November until February. This species is very variable in colouration and can be confused with G. lepidella. However it is smaller in size and the crescent shaped spot on its forewings is white or yellow rather than the silver of G. lepidella.

<i>Glaucocharis metallifera</i> Species of moth endemic to New Zealand

Glaucocharis metallifera is a moth of the family Crambidae. It was first described by Arthur Gardiner Butler in 1877. It is endemic to New Zealand and is found in the southern half of the North Island and the northern half of the South Island. It inhabits native forest at lowland and subalpine altitudes and frequents banks of streams flowing through dense forest clad valleys. The larval host is moss and the larvae are very active and live in galleries in wet moss, on logs or stones in the forest. Adults are on the wing from October to February. It has been hypothesised that this species has two broods per year. Adults have been collected via netting at dusk.

<i>Glaucocharis microdora</i> Species of moth endemic to New Zealand

Glaucocharis microdora is a moth of the family Crambidae. It was first described by Edward Meyrick in 1905. It is endemic to New Zealand and is found in the southern parts of the North Island and the north and central parts of the South Island. It inhabits native forest at lowland to subalpine altitudes. The larvae of this species feeds on moss and adults are on the wing from November until February. It is similar in appearance to G. pyrsophanes but can be distinguished as G. microdora is of a smaller size and has bright yellow markings. It also lacks the broad white bars on forewings of G. pyrophanes.

<i>Glaucocharis parorma</i> Species of moth endemic to New Zealand

Glaucocharis parorma is a moth of the family Crambidae. It was first described by Edward Meyrick in 1924. It is endemic to New Zealand and is found in the North Island. This species inhabits native forest from lowland to subalpine altitudes. Larvae of Glaucocharis species feed on mosses and liverworts. Adults are on the wing from October to February. This species is very similar in appearance to G. elaina but can be distinguished as a result of the black terminal dots on its forewings.

<i>Glaucocharis planetopa</i> Species of moth endemic to New Zealand

Glaucocharis planetopa is a moth of the family Crambidae. It was first described by Edward Meyrick in 1923. It is endemic to New Zealand and has only be observed on the South Island. G. planetopa inhabits native forest. Larvae of Glaucocharis species feed on mosses and liverworts. Adults are on the wing in January and February. As at 1971 the female of this species had yet to be collected.

<i>Glaucocharis pyrsophanes</i> Species of moth endemic to New Zealand

Glaucocharis pyrsophanes is a moth in the family Crambidae. It was described by Edward Meyrick in 1882. It is endemic to New Zealand and is found throughout the country including the North, South and Stewart Islands. It inhabits native forest from lowland and subalpine altitudes. It is said to be common in sunny but damp forest openings. Larvae of Glaucocharis species feed on mosses and liverworts. Adults are on the wing from October until February. They are known to feed from and pollinate Leptospermum scoparium and Helichrysum selago.

<i>Glaucocharis stella</i> Species of moth endemic to New Zealand

Glaucocharis stella is a species of moth in the family Crambidae. This species was first described by Edward Meyrick in 1938. It is endemic to New Zealand and has been observed in the North Island. Meyrick hypothesised that larvae of G. stella feed on moss. Adults are on the wing in October and November. The colouration of the forewings ensure that when resting with closed wings on rocks adults are highly camouflaged.

<i>Glaucocharis selenaea</i> Species of moth endemic to New Zealand

Glaucocharis selenaea is a moth in the family Crambidae. It was first described by Edward Meyrick in 1885. It is endemic to New Zealand and is found throughout the country from Manawatāwhi / Three Kings Islands to Southland including the Little Barrier and Great Barrier Islands. It inhabits native forest from lowland to subalpine altitudes. Larvae of Glaucocharis species feed on mosses and liverworts. Adults are on the wing from October until January and are attracted to light. It can be distinguished from the similar appearing G. metallifera as G. selenaea is smaller in size, the diagonal shaped band, the small round white discal spot and the black-marked veins in the near the end of the forewings.

References

  1. 1 2 "NZOR Name Details - Glaucocharis elaina (Meyrick, 1882)". www.nzor.org.nz. Landcare Research New Zealand Ltd. Retrieved 20 January 2018.
  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: 144. doi:10.7931/J2/FNZ.14. ISSN   0111-5383. Wikidata   Q45083134.
  3. Gordon, Dennis P., ed. (2010). New Zealand inventory of biodiversity: Kingdom animalia: chaetognatha, ecdysozoa, ichnofossils. Vol. 2. p. 457. ISBN   978-1-877257-93-3. OCLC   973607714. OL   25288394M. Wikidata   Q45922947.
  4. Edward Meyrick (June 1882). "Descriptions of New Zealand Micro-Lepidoptera (I.)". New Zealand Journal of Science. 1: 187. Wikidata   Q115108516.
  5. Edward Meyrick (May 1883). "Descriptions of New Zealand Microlepidoptera. I and II. Crambidae and Tortricina". Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute. 15: 17–18. ISSN   1176-6158. Wikidata   Q111013914.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Hudson, G. V. (1928), The butterflies and moths of New Zealand, Illustrator: George Hudson, Wellington: Ferguson and Osborn Limited, p. 176, LCCN   88133764, OCLC   25449322, Wikidata   Q58593286
  7. Alfred Philpott (1929). "The male genitalia of the New Zealand Crambidae". Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute. 60 (3): 491–514. ISSN   1176-6158. Wikidata   Q124044081.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 David Edward Gaskin (1971). "A revision of New Zealand Diptychophorini (Lepidoptera; Pyralidae; Crambinae)". New Zealand Journal of Science. 14: 773–776. ISSN   0028-8365. Wikidata   Q110236267.
  9. David E. Gaskin (20 December 1985). "Morphology and reclassification of the Australasian, Melanesian and Polynesian Glaucocharis Meyrick (Lepidoptera : Crambinae : Diptychophorini)". Australian Journal of Zoology. Supplementary Series. 33 (115): 1. doi:10.1071/AJZS115. ISSN   0310-9089. Wikidata   Q54618937.
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 6 David Edward Gaskin (1966), The butterflies and common moths of New Zealand, p. 161, Wikidata   Q115000559
  11. "PlantSynz - Invertebrate herbivore biodiversity assessment tool: Database". plant-synz.landcareresearch.co.nz. Retrieved 2018-07-09.