Hierodoris illita

Last updated

Contents

Hierodoris illita
Hierodoris illita in Lower Hutt.jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Oecophoridae
Genus: Hierodoris
Species:
H. illita
Binomial name
Hierodoris illita
(Felder & Rogenhofer, 1875) [1]
Synonyms [1] [2]
  • Atychia illitaFelder & Rogenhofer, 1875
  • Heliostibes illita(Felder & Rogenhofer, 1875)
  • Heliostibes chlorobelaMeyrick, 1921
  • Hierodoris chlorobela(Meyrick, 1921)

Hierodoris illita is a moth of the family Oecophoridae. [1] It is endemic to New Zealand and is found in both the North and South Islands. However this species has not been recorded at Stewart Island / Rakiura.

The larvae feed on the inside of woody stems of Coriaria arborea . Specimens have also been reared from galls both on a stem of Muehlenbeckia australis and on a stem of Nothofagus truncata. Specimens have also been reared from the cones of the exotic species Larix decidua The larvae normally pupate within the stem of their host plant. The wingspan of adults of this species is between 20 and 30 mm with the forewings being blackish, variably overlain with reddish and whitish scales. The hindwings of the common form are blackish with orange streaks. However H. illlita is variable in appearance with some specimens having a rich reddish brown forewings without markings and a form exists that has whitish hindwing markings in thin stripes from the base of the hindwing. Adults of this species are on the wing from November until February. This species is known to fly during the day and have been observed flying over tall bushes and trees, including Coriaria ruscifolia and Kunzea ericoides, during hot, sunny days.

Taxonomy

First description illustration of H. illita Fig 32. Reise Fregatte Novara (Volume 2 Section 2)-plate140 (CXL) (cropped).jpg
First description illustration of H. illita

This species was described by Cajetan von Felder and Alois Friedrich Rogenhofer in 1875 and named Atychia illita. [3] In 1888 Edward Meyrick placed this species within the genus Heliostibes. [4] George Hudson also discussed this species using that name in his 1928 book The butterflies and moths of New Zealand. [5] In 1988 J. S. Dugdale placed this species within the genus Hierodoris. [2] Robert Hoare confirmed this placement in 2005. [1] In 2005 Hoare also synonymised H. cholorobela with H. illita. Hoare did so as he argued that the difference in the third segment of the labial palp, as noted by Hudson when discussing H. cholorobela, are found in specimens previously placed in both H. cholorobela and H. illita. Also the genitalia in H. cholorobela specimens are identical to those in specimens of H. illita from the South Island. [1]

The male holotype specimen of H. illita, collected by T. R. Oxley in Nelson, is held at the Natural History Museum, London. [2] [1]

Description

Female illustrated by George Hudson. Fig 25 MA I437894 TePapa Plate-XXXIII-The-butterflies full (cropped).jpg
Female illustrated by George Hudson.
Hierodoris illita illustrated by Des Helmore. LEPI Oecophoridae Hierodoris illita.png
Hierodoris illita illustrated by Des Helmore.

Hoare described the larvae of this species as follows:

Head dark brown, marked darker longitudinally. Thorax and abdomen dorsally and laterally grey, ventrally whitish grey; broad irregular broken dorsal and subdorsal lines whitish yellow; dorsal pinacula black and shiny; A10 darker grey, mottled black. [1]

Hudson described the species as follows:

The expanse of the wings is 7⁄8 inch. The forewings are very rich dark brown, thinly speckled with elongate bluish-white scales; there are usually cloudy discal marks before and beyond the middle, and a darker curved terminal band. The hindwings are rich velvety-black, with two unequal elongate-triangular bright orange-yellow marks, and a cloud of minute yellow dots near the tornus. The cilia of the hindwings are bright orange-yellow. [5]

The wingspan is 20–30 mm with the forewings being blackish, variably overlain with reddish and whitish scales. [1] The hindwings of the common form are blackish with orange streaks. [1] This species is variable in appearance with some specimens having a rich reddish brown forewings without markings. [1] [5] There is a form with hindwing markings that are whitish in thin stripes from the base of the hindwing. [1]

It is possible to confuse H. illita with H. atychioides where specimens of the former species have very dark hindwings. [1] This species can be distinguished from H. bilineata as it has a larger wingspan. [1] As this species has a labial palp that is unmodified and no metallic coloured scales on its forewings, it can also be distinguished from H. huia . [1] H. illita can be distinguished from H. stella as H. illita has unmodified antennae and is a larger moth. [1]

Distribution

This species is endemic to New Zealand and is found throughout the North and South Islands. [1] This species has not been recorded at Stewart Island / Rakiura. [1]

Behaviour

Adults of this species are on the wing from November until February. [5] This species is known to fly during the day and have been observed flying over tall bushes and trees, including Coriaria ruscifolia and Kunzea ericoides, during hot, sunny days. [5]

Habitat and hosts

The larvae feed on Coriaria arborea . [1] They feed inside a woody stem or branch of their host plant. [1] Specimens have also been reared from galls both on a stem of Muehlenbeckia australis and on a stem of Nothofagus truncata. [1] Specimens have also been reared from cones of the exotic species Larix decidua. [1] The larvae pupate within the stem of the plant. [1]

Related Research Articles

<i>Sabatinca caustica</i> Species of moth endemic to New Zealand

Sabatinca caustica is a species of moth belonging to the family Micropterigidae. It was described by Edward Meyrick in 1912. It is endemic to New Zealand and is found in both Southland and at Stewart Island / Rakiura. The adults of this species are variable in appearance with some specimens being mainly white on their forewings while others have forewings that are a more mottled purple-brown colour. Adults are on the wing from the start of October until the middle of December. Larvae feed on the surface of leafy liverworts.

<i>Izatha austera</i> Species of moth

Izatha austera is a species of moth in the family Oecophoridae. It is endemic to New Zealand. The larvae of this species feed on dead wood by tunnelling into branches of its host species. The larvae matures from September and is on the wing in the months of December to January. The adult moth is variable in colouration but is seldom observed.

<i>Izatha balanophora</i> Species of moth

Izatha balanophora is a moth of the family Oecophoridae. It is endemic to New Zealand, where it is widespread in the North Island. Larvae live off the dead bark of kānuka. The adult moths are on the wing during December to March.

<i>Izatha heroica</i> Species of moth

Izatha heroica is a moth of the family Oecophoridae. It is endemic to New Zealand, where it is widespread in the west part of the South Island. It has been collected in southern beech forests but larvae have been reared on dead kanuka or manuka bushes.

<i>Izatha prasophyta</i> Species of moth endemic to New Zealand

Izatha prasophyta is a moth of the family Oecophoridae. It is endemic to New Zealand, where it is known from the North Island, except Hawkes Bay or the Wairarapa. Larvae likely feed on rotting wood although larvae of this species have been reared on the fruiting body of the bracket fungus Bjerkandera adusta. Adults are on the wing from November to February.

<i>Batrachedra agaura</i> Moth species in family Batrachedridae

Batrachedra agaura is a species of moth in the family Batrachedridae. It is endemic to New Zealand. This species is distributed throughout the country. The species inhabits native forests, especially beech and kanuka forests or manuka scrubland. The larvae of this species are associated with sooty mold and sooty beech scale. It has been hypothesized that the larvae feed on sooty beech scale. However, they may also feed on the sooty mold itself. The adult female is lighter in appearance than the male, and the species shows considerable variation in patterns on the forewing. Adults are on the wing from October to February. They are nocturnal and occasionally attracted to light.

<i>Amblyptilia aeolodes</i> Species of plume moth, endemic to New Zealand

Amblyptilia aeolodes is a moth of the family Pterophoridae. This species was first described by Edward Meyrick in 1902. It is endemic to New Zealand and is found on the Chatham Islands, Big South Cape Island, and the subantarctic Auckland and Campbell Islands.The larvae feed on dicotyledonous herbs.

<i>Hierodoris atychioides</i> Species of moth endemic to New Zealand

Hierodoris atychioides is a moth of the family Oecophoridae. It was described by Arthur Gardiner Butler in 1877. The female holotype specimen held at the Natural History Museum, London. This species is endemic to New Zealand, and can be found in the North, South and Stewart Islands. The larvae form webs of silk attached to frass and leaves on their hosts in which they shelter, often in the company of other larvae in their species. Their feeding habits have not been observed in detail but Hoare hypothesises the larvae may feed on dead or dying leaves. The larvae feed on a wide range of trees and shrubs, including Dacrydium cupressinum, Prumnopitys taxifolia, Dacrycarpus dacrydioides, Libocedrus bidwillii, Cupressus macrocarpa, Leptospermum scoparium, Kunzea ericoides, Ozothamnus leptophyllus, Abies, Picea, Pinus and Thuja species. Although they are regarded as a pest of exotic forests in New Zealand, the economic damage the larvae cause is minimal and they tend to be controlled only by their natural enemies. Larval enemies include the parasitic flies Trigonospila brevifacies and Pales funesta as well as parasitic wasps including Xanthopimpla rhopaloceros. The adult moths are day flying and are most common during the months of December and January. This species is variable in appearance as larvae, pupa and as adults, and it has been hypothesised that it is in the process of speciation.

<i>Hierodoris electrica</i> Species of moth endemic to New Zealand

Hierodoris electrica is a moth of the family Oecophoridae. It was described by Edward Meyrick in 1889. It is endemic to New Zealand, where it has been reported from the northern and southern parts of the South Island. The larva of H. electrica has yet to be described. The wingspan is between 15 and 16.5 mm. The ground colour of the forewings is dark brown, with narrow yellow scales overlaying this base colour. The hindwings are brown. The known larval host species is Olearia nummulariifolia.

<i>Hierodoris iophanes</i> Species of moth, endemic to New Zealand

Hierodoris iophanes is a moth of the family Oecophoridae. It was described by Edward Meyrick in 1912. This species can be distinguished from others in its genus by the purple metallic colouration as well as the blue-white mark on its forewings. It is endemic to New Zealand, where it has been recorded from Auckland to Southland. This species inhabits native forest or scrub, with the adults preferring open glades. They are known to be on the wing from November until February and fly during daylight hours, being active on hot sunny days. Larvae feed on the interior of twigs of Prumnopitys ferruginea. The twigs had evidence of oviposition scars of cicadas and the larvae were collected in October after reddish-brown frass indicated their location within the twigs.

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

Hierodoris stella is a species of moth in the family Oecophoridae. This species is endemic to New Zealand and occurs in Auckland, Taranaki, Hawkes Bay, Bay of Plenty and Wellington. As at 2005 the larvae of this species is unknown as is its host plant. The adult moth frequents forest and are on the wing in January and February. It is classified as "At Risk, Relict'" by the Department of Conservation.

<i>Hierodoris bilineata</i> Species of moth, endemic to New Zealand

Hierodoris bilineata is a species of moth in the family Oecophoridae. It is endemic to New Zealand. This species is classified as "At Risk, Naturally Uncommon" by the Department of Conservation. It is possible that this species gives birth to live young rather than lay eggs as is the norm.

<i>Hierodoris callispora</i> Species of moth endemic to New Zealand

Hierodoris callispora is a moth of the family Oecophoridae. It is endemic to New Zealand and can be found throughout the country from south of the Bay of Plenty. This species inhabits native beech forest. Adults of the species have been found where Muehlenbeckia is common. Adults have also been collected from the flowers of Kunzea ericoides. However the larval host is unconfirmed although it has been hypothesised that larvae of this species feed on Kunzea ericoides flowers. Adults of this species can be distinguished by its orange ruff that contrasts with its dark head and thorax. There is a colour form that exists that has orange scales and an orange coloured fringe on the hindwing. Adults have been collected in December and January and are day flying but are also attracted to light at night. A female specimen has been found with a larva in her oviduct suggesting that this species may give birth to larval young.

<i>Hierodoris eremita</i> Species of moth endemic to New Zealand

Hierodoris eremita is a moth of the family Oecophoridae. It is endemic to New Zealand and found in the areas around Aoraki / Mount Cook and Westland Tai Poutini National Park areas. This species inhabits alpine herbfields at altitudes of around 900–1400 m. Larvae are said to have been reared on the leaves of plants in the Celmisia genus. Pupation happens on the host plant. The adults of this species is on the wing between December and June. This species is day flying.

<i>Hierodoris squamea</i> Species of moth endemic to New Zealand

Hierodoris squamea is a moth of the family Oecophoridae. It is endemic to New Zealand and is found in the mountains of Fiordland as well as the Olivine Range in south Westland. This species has a wingspan of between 12 and 13 mm and can be distinguished from similar species as it is very small in size, has a reduced eyespot on its forewings, clearly visible through Scanning Electron Microscope preparations, and has orange-yellow scales overlaying its dark forewing. It prefers open country of tussock grasslands and herbfields at high altitudes. As at 2005 the larvae are unknown. Adults are on the wing in January.

<i>Hierodoris insignis</i> Species of moth endemic to New Zealand

Hierodoris insignis is a species of moth in the family Gelechiidae. It is endemic to New Zealand and has been found in the Nelson/Tasman districts. The larvae are leaf miners and are hosted by Celmisia species. Adults are on the wing in January. It is likely that this species belongs to another genus and as such this species is also known as Hierodoris (s.l.) insignis or 'Hierodoris' insignis.

<i>Hierodoris stellata</i> Species of moth endemic to New Zealand

Hierodoris stellata is a species of moth in the family Plutellidae. It is endemic to New Zealand and is found in Fiordland and Dunedin. This species has been found in coastal native forest. Larvae feed on Astelia flower-spikes and adults are on the wing in late December and January. It has been stated that this species belongs to the genus Charixena however this placement has yet to be published. As such this species is currently known as Hierodoris (s.l.) stellata or 'Hierodoris'stellata.

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

Trachypepla anastrella is a species of moth in the family Oecophoridae. It is endemic to New Zealand and has been observed in the North and South Islands. Larvae are leaf litter feeders from the host plant Olearia fragrantissima and adults are on the wing from December until March.

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

Trachypepla leucoplanetis is a moth of the family Oecophoridae first described by Edward Meyrick in 1883. It is endemic to New Zealand and has been collected in both the North and South Islands. It is the smallest moth species in the genus Trachypepla and the patterns on the forewings of adults are variable in appearance. It inhabits native forest and bush and the larvae feed on leaf litter. Adults are on the wing from October until February. T. leucoplanetis is regarded as being rarely observed and has been collected via the beating of foliage.

<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 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 Robert J. B. Hoare (24 December 2005). "Hierodoris (Insecta: Lepidoptera: Gelechioidea: Oecophoridae), and overview of Oecophoridae" (PDF). Fauna of New Zealand. 54. Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research: 39–40. doi:10.7931/J2/FNZ.54. ISSN   0111-5383. OCLC   946510444. Wikidata   Q44994400. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 February 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 John Stewart Dugdale (23 September 1988). "Lepidoptera - annotated catalogue, and keys to family-group taxa". Fauna of New Zealand. 14. Department of Scientific and Industrial Research: 89. doi:10.7931/J2/FNZ.14. ISSN   0111-5383. Wikidata   Q45083134.
  3. ↑ von Felder, Cajetan; Rogenhofer, Alois Friedrich (1875). Reise der österreichischen Fregatte Novara um die Erde (zoologischer Theil). Vol. Band 2 (Abtheilung 2), Hefte 5. Wien. pp. Tafel CXL Fig. 32.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link) CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  4. ↑ E. Meyrick (1888). "Descriptions of New Zealand Tineina". Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute. 20: 83. ISSN   1176-6158. Wikidata   Q63125188.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 George Vernon Hudson (1928), The butterflies and moths of New Zealand, Illustrator: George Hudson, Wellington: Ferguson and Osborn Limited, p. 307, LCCN   88133764, OCLC   25449322, Wikidata   Q58593286
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.