Glaucocharis elaina | |
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Female | |
Male | |
Scientific classification | |
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 | |
Synonyms [2] | |
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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.
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]
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 1⁄2 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 endemic to New Zealand and other than in the extreme south of the South Island is found throughout the country. [1] [6]
The larvae of this species feed on mosses including species in the genus Funaria . [11] [8] 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]
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]
Eudonia philerga is a species of moth of the family Crambidae. This species was first described by Edward Meyrick. It is endemic to New Zealand and is found throughout the country. E. philerga is regarded as being common. Larvae feed on moss and the adults have been observed on the wing more frequently from October to April. Adult moths are attracted to light.
Sabatinca chrysargyra is a species of moth belonging to the family Micropterigidae. It was described by Edward Meyrick in 1886 and is endemic to New Zealand. It can be found from Franz Josef Glacier / Kā Roimata o Hine Hukatere south but only on the western side of the South Island. Adults are on the wing from the beginning of October until the middle of January. Larvae likely feed on foliose liverworts and have been found on species in the genus Plagiochila. The adult moths live in a range of habitats preferring sunny open spaces in forests or snow-tussock grasslands that can range in altitude from near sea level up to 1,230 m. This species is very similar in appearance to Sabatinca aemula and dissection of genitalia is required to distinguish between the two species.
Cryptaspasma querula is a moth of the family Tortricidae. It is endemic to New Zealand and can be found throughout the country. This species inhabits podocarp and broadleaf forest. The larvae consume parts of the seeds and fruits of tawa, tarairi and miro trees and are predated upon by the invasive to New Zealand house mouse. Adults are variable in appearance and also in size. They are on the wing throughout the year and are nocturnal but are attracted to light. They can be found having flown inside houses and have also been observed resting on fences or other human made structures during the day.
Glaucocharis chrysochyta is a species of moth in the family Crambidae. This species was first described by Edward Meyrick in 1882. It is endemic to New Zealand and is found throughout the country. It inhabits native forest. Larvae appear to feed on moss and likely pupate there. Adult moths are on the wing from November to March. They fly at night and are attracted to light.
Scoparia ustimacula, also known as the black-marked brown Scoparia moth, is a species of moth in the family Crambidae. It was described by Cajetan Felder, Rudolf Felder and Alois Friedrich Rogenhofer in 1875. It is endemic to New Zealand and can be found in the North, South and Stewart Islands. This species inhabits dense native forest at altitudes from sea level to approximately 1000 m. Although little is known of the life history of this species, larvae have been observed feeding on Hydrocotyle species. Adults are on the wing year round but are more commonly observed from September to March. Adults are nocturnal, are attracted to light and have been collected by beating scrub.
Gadira acerella is a moth in the family Crambidae. It was first described by Francis Walker. It is endemic to New Zealand and is found throughout the country. The species inhabits native forest from sea level up to subalpine altitudes. Larvae are assumed to feed on lichen or moss. Adults are on the wing from October until March, are active at night and are attracted to light. This species is distinctively patterned and coloured and is said to resemble a bird dropping at rest. The colouring also assists to camouflage the moth when it rests against lichen.
Gadira leucophthalma, the beaked moss moth, is a moth in the family Crambidae. It is endemic to New Zealand. It is found in the south eastern side of the South Island down to Banks Peninsula. G. leucophthalma inhabits the foredunes of coastal areas. The larval host is unknown but it has been hypothesised that the larvae feed on moss. The adult moths are day flying although some specimens have been trapped at night via light traps. Adults are commonly on the wing from March to April. This species has been classified as Nationally Vulnerable by the Department of Conservation.
Orocrambus abditus is a moth of the family Crambidae. It was first described by Alfred Philpott in 1924. It is endemic to New Zealand and can be found in Marlborough, Arthur's Pass, and in Canterbury. The species inhabits grassland including tussock grassland and shrubland. Larvae have been collected in October and the adults of this species are on the wing from October to March.
Orocrambus dicrenellus is a moth in the family Crambidae. This species was first described by Edward Meyrick in 1882 under the name Crambus dicrenellus. It is endemic to New Zealand. It has been recorded from the central part of the South Island.
Orocrambus haplotomus is a moth in the family Crambidae. It was described by Edward Meyrick in 1882. This species is endemic to New Zealand. O. haplotomus has been recorded from the areas around Lake Te Anau and Lake Wakatipu in the South Island.
Orocrambus xanthogrammus is a moth in the family Crambidae. It was described by Edward Meyrick in 1883. It is endemic to New Zealand, where it has been recorded from the South Island and the eastern part of the North Island. The habitat of this species consists of shingle river beds.
Glaucocharis bipunctella is a moth in the family Crambidae. It was described by Francis Walker in 1866. This species is endemic to New Zealand and has been found in the Auckland region, in the southern parts of the North Island and in the Nelson region. It inhabits dense native forest. Larvae of this species have been raised on liverworts. Adults are on the wing in November to January and are attracted to light.
Glaucocharis auriscriptella, also known as the yellow silverling, is a moth in the family Crambidae. It was first described by Francis Walker in 1864 and is endemic to New Zealand. This species can be found in the North, South, Stewart and Great Barrier Islands. The preferred habitat of this moth is lowland and subalpine native forest as well as wetlands. The larvae feed on moss. The adult moth is day flying and is on the wing from November to February. It can be observed in colonies and can be attracted to light at night. This species likely has only one generation per year.
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.
Glaucocharis pyrsophanes is a moth in the family Crambidae. It was described by Edward Meyrick in 1882. It is endemic to New Zealand.
Anisoplaca acrodactyla is a species of moth of the family Gelechiidae. It was described by Edward Meyrick in 1907 and is endemic to New Zealand. This species has been observed in South Island as well as in the North Island. Larvae feed on species in the genera Hoheria and Plagianthus including the species Plagianthus regius'.
Chalastra pellurgata, also known as the brown fern moth or the pale fern looper, is a moth of the family Geometridae. This species was first described by Francis Walker in 1862. It is endemic to New Zealand and can be found throughout the country. It inhabits native forest. This species is extremely variable both in its larval and adult life stage. Larvae of this species are active during spring and summer. They feed on the fronds of fern species. C. pellurgata pupates by forming a thin cocoon on the soil amongst leaf litter and moss. Adults are on the wing throughout the year but are most common from September to March. During the day adult moths can be observed resting on dead fern fronds. They become active from dusk and are attracted to light.
Chalastra aristarcha, the silver fern moth, is a moth of the family Geometridae. This species was first described by Edward Meyrick in 1892. It is endemic to New Zealand and is found in the North Island. This species inhabits dense native forest. The larvae feed on the species host plant, the Silver fern, during spring. This species then pupates on top of leaf litter or moss on the ground. The pupation state lasts for approximately 6 weeks. Adult moths are on the wing from October until April but can sometimes also be seen during the winter months. Adults can be disturbed from silver ferns during the day or are seen on the wing at night particularly at Metrosideros perforata when in flower. Adults are attracted to light. It has been hypothesised that the range of C. aristarcha has restricted as a result of urban development and land conversion of its habitat.
Pseudocoremia lupinata is a species of moth in the family Geometridae. It is endemic to New Zealand and can be found in both the North and South Islands. The favoured habitat of this species is Kānuka scrubland as its larval hosts are species in the genus Kunzea. Both the larvae and adults of this species are nocturnal. Adult moths are commonly on the wing from December to June and are attracted to light.
Atomotricha chloronota is a moth in the family Oecophoridae first described by Edward Meyrick in 1914. It is endemic to New Zealand and is found in the eastern side of the South Island and at the Antipodes Islands. It inhabits clearings with native tussocks and ferns. The larvae feed on leaf litter from silk tunnels in soil. The male adults of this species are on the wing from July to September and have been trapped via sugar traps and are attracted to light. The female of this species is brachypterous.