Glaucocharis metallifera

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Glaucocharis metallifera
Glaucocharis metallifera female.jpg
Female
Glaucocharis metallifera 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. metallifera
Binomial name
Glaucocharis metallifera
(Butler, 1877) [1]
Synonyms [2]
  • Eromene metalliferaButler, 1877
  • Diptychophora metallifera(Butler, 1877)
  • Pareromene metallifera(Butler, 1877)

Glaucocharis metallifera is a moth of the family Crambidae. [1] 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.

Contents

Taxonomy

This species was first described by Arthur Gardiner Butler in 1877 using specimens collected in Dunedin by James Hector and originally named Eromene metallifera. [3] Edward Meyrick placed this species in the genus Diptychophora in 1883. [4] George Hudson discussed and illustrated this species in his 1928 book The butterflies and moths of New Zealand under that name. [5] In 1929 Alfred Philpott described the genitalia of the male of this species. [6] In 1971 David Edward Gaskin placed this species in the genus Pareromene. [7] However in 1985 Gaskin recognised that Glaucocharis must take precedence over Pareromene and placed G. metallifera into that genus. [8] The male holotype specimen is held at the Natural History Museum, London. [2]

Description

Larvae of G. metallifera Fig 1. MA I437602 TePapa Plate-III-The-butterflies full (cropped).jpg
Larvae of G. metallifera
Female variety. Fig 33 MA I437618 TePapa Plate-XIX-The-butterflies full (cropped).jpg
Female variety.

Hudson states the larvae of G. metallifera is similar in appearance to that of G. microdora but is stouter, more shining and glassy-looking. [5]

Hudson described the adults of this species as follows:

The expansion of the wings is about 78 inch. The fore-wings are rich orange-yellow becoming ordnge-brown towards the termen; there is a brown shade on the costa, a strongly curved transverse line at about 13 and another, very wavy transverse line at about 23; there is a large metallic, crescentic mark in the middle of the wing; four horizontal leaden metallic stripes between the crescent and the termen and two fainter stripes near the tornus; the termen itself is edged with metallic lead colour; there are three minute black dots on the termen before the tornus; the cilia are snow-white, strongly barred with brown. The hind-wings are pale ochreous-yellow with a fine terminal brown line, and occasionally a faint transverse line near the middle. The cilia are white. [5]

Hudson points out that in some specimens the whole of the space on the forewings between the transverse lines is filled in with rich brown and the costa is broadly margined with brown near the base. [5]

Distribution

This species is endemic to New Zealand. [9] It occurs in the southern half of the North Island and the northern half of the South Island. [7]

Habitat and hosts

Living specimen. Glaucocharis metallifera 344979665.jpg
Living specimen.

This species inhabits native forest at lowland and subalpine altitudes and frequents banks of streams flowing through dense forest clad valleys. [7] [5] Hudson stated that the larval host was moss.

Behaviour

The larvae of this species is very active and lives in galleries in wet moss, on logs or stones in the forest. [5] Adults are on the wing from October to February. [7] It has been hypothesised that this species has two broods per year. [7] Adults have been collected via netting at dusk. [7]

Related Research Articles

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

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

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

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

Glaucocharis lepidella is a species of moth in the family Crambidae. It was described by Francis Walker in 1866. It is endemic to New Zealand and is found in both the North and South Island. The species inhabits lowland to subalpine native forest. Larvae may feed on mosses. Adults are on the wing from November to February and are attracted to light.

<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

Glaucocharis harmonica is a moth in the family Crambidae. This species was described by Edward Meyrick in 1888. It is endemic to New Zealand and is found in the North and South Islands. It inhabits lowland to subalpine native forest. It has been hypothesised that there are two broods per year. The larval hosts are unknown. Adults are on the wing from October until January.

<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 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.

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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.

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

Trachypepla ingenua is a moth of the family Oecophoridae first described by Edward Meyrick in 1911. It is endemic to New Zealand and has been collected in both the North and South Islands. This species is one of the larger in the genus Trachypepla and the colouration of the adults imitates bird droppings. The preferred habitat of T. ingenua is native forest and adults are on the wing from December to February.

References

  1. 1 2 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.
  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: 145. doi:10.7931/J2/FNZ.14. ISSN   0111-5383. Wikidata   Q45083134.
  3. Arthur G. Butler (1877). "On two Collections of Heterocerous Lepidoptera from New Zealand, with descriptions of new Genera and Species". Journal of Zoology . 1877: 401. ISSN   1469-7998. Wikidata   Q109479517.
  4. Edward Meyrick (May 1883). "Descriptions of New Zealand Micro-Lepidoptera". Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute. 15: 15–16. ISSN   1176-6158. Wikidata   Q115099569.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Hudson, G. V. (1928), The butterflies and moths of New Zealand, Illustrator: George Hudson, Wellington: Ferguson and Osborn Limited, p. 174, LCCN   88133764, OCLC   25449322, Wikidata   Q58593286 This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain .
  6. 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.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 David Edward Gaskin (1971). "A revision of New Zealand Diptychophorini (Lepidoptera; Pyralidae; Crambinae)". New Zealand Journal of Science. 14: 797–799. ISSN   0028-8365. Wikidata   Q110236267.
  8. 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.
  9. "Glaucocharis metallifera (Butler, 1877)". www.nzor.org.nz. Landcare Research New Zealand Ltd. Retrieved 20 January 2018.