Glaucocharis parorma

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Glaucocharis parorma
Glaucocharis parorma male.jpg
Male
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Crambidae
Subfamily: Crambinae
Tribe: Diptychophorini
Genus: Glaucocharis
Species:
G. parorma
Binomial name
Glaucocharis parorma
(Meyrick, 1924) [1]
Synonyms [2]
  • Diptychophora parormaMeyrick, 1924
  • Pareromene parorma(Meyrick, 1924)

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

Contents

Taxonomy

This species was first described by Edward Meyrick in 1924 using two specimens collected at Mount Ruapehu and at Wainuiomata in December and January by George Hudson and originally named Diptychophora parorma. [3] George Hudson discussed and illustrated this species under that name in his 1928 book The butterflies and moths of New Zealand. [4] In 1971 David Edward Gaskin placed this species in the genus Pareromene. [5] However in 1985 Gaskin recognised that Glaucocharis must take precedence over Pareromene and placed G. parorma into that genus. [6] The male lectotype specimen, collected Mount Ruapehu by Hudson, is held at the Natural History Museum, London. [2]

Description

G. parorma with black terminal dots visible. Glaucocharis parorma 441936326.jpg
G. parorma with black terminal dots visible.

Meyrick described this species as follows:

♂. 13-14 mm. Head ochreous-whitish. Palpi ochreous-whitish mixed with grey. Thorax whitish mixed with dark grey. Forewings with termen more oblique than in elaina ; whitish, slightly sprinkled grey; base spotted with blackish-grey, then some blackish-grey irroration tinged with whitish-ochreous, followed by first line, which is irregular, black, angulated outwards in disc and inwards towards termen; an obscure curved rather broad median shade of grey suffusion mixed with whitish-ochreous, above its middle an irregular X-shaped black mark, lower angle resting oh a roundish white spot; second line double, fine, grey, curved, waved, indented on fold; a terminal fascia of grey suffusion, including apical dot preceded by a white crescentic mark, and six black semicircular terminal dots more or less edged whitish anteriorly: cilia whitish, a dark grey basal line and greyish subapical line. Hindwings light grey, a, curved whitish line at 3⁄4, and a whitish terminal line, terminal edge grey; cilia whitish, a light-grey, subbasal line. [3]

Although very similar in appearance to G. elaina, to the point where these two species have been confused in collections, G. parorma can be distinguished as it has a line of black terminal dots on its forewings whereas G. elaina has none. [4] [5]

Distribution

This species is endemic to New Zealand. [7] This species occurs in the North Island. [4]

Habitat and hosts

G. parorma inhabits native forest from lowland to subalpine altitudes. [5] Larvae of Glaucocharis species feed on mosses and liverworts. [8]

Behaviour

This species is on the wing from October to February. [9]

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. LCCN   2011379669. 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. 1 2 Edward Meyrick (30 September 1924). "Notes and Descriptions of New Zealand Lepidoptera". Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute. 55: 202–203. ISSN   1176-6158. Wikidata   Q65974639. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain .
  4. 1 2 3 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 This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain .
  5. 1 2 3 David Edward Gaskin (1971). "A revision of New Zealand Diptychophorini (Lepidoptera; Pyralidae; Crambinae)". New Zealand Journal of Science. 14: 801–802. ISSN   0028-8365. Wikidata   Q110236267.
  6. ↑ 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.
  7. ↑ "Glaucocharis parorma (Meyrick, 1924)". www.nzor.org.nz. Landcare Research New Zealand Ltd. Retrieved 20 January 2018.
  8. ↑ Carey Knox (2024). Butterflies & Moths of Aotearoa New Zealand. John Beaufoy Publishing. p. 25. ISBN   978-1-913679-66-8. Wikidata   Q130640046.
  9. ↑ "Glaucocharis parorma". iNaturalist. Retrieved 2025-01-04.
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