Hierodoris iophanes | |
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Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Class: | Insecta |
Order: | Lepidoptera |
Family: | Oecophoridae |
Genus: | Hierodoris |
Species: | H. iophanes |
Binomial name | |
Hierodoris iophanes | |
Hierodoris iophanes is a moth of the family Oecophoridae. [1] 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.
This species was first described by Edward Meyrick in 1912 using a specimen collected in Wellington by George Hudson. [2] It is the type species of the genus Hierodoris . [3] Hudson discussed and illustrated this species in his 1928 book The butterflies and moths of New Zealand. [4] The male holotype specimen is held at the Natural History Museum, London. [3]
Meyrick described the species as follows:
♂. 13 mm. Head deep bluish-bronze. Palpi bronzy-fiscous. Thorax deep bronze suffused with purple. Antennae and abdomen dark fuscous. Forewings elongate, posteriorly slightly dilated, costa slightly arched, faintly sinuate in middle, apex obtuse, termen rounded, somewhat oblique; dark bronzy-fuscous; a shining purple fascia from base of costa almost to dorsum at 1⁄4, followed by a spot of blackish suffusion beneath costa, beyond which is a short metallic-blue oblique strigula; a narrow shining purple fascia from a silvery-whitish dot beneath costa before middle to a pale ochreous spot on middle of dorsum; a pale blue-metallic linear mark on end of cell; triangular shining purple spots above and below middle beyond this, their anterior angles tending to meet in disc; an undefined shining purple spot before middle of termen : cilia deep purplish-bronze. Hindwings blackish; cilia fuscous, with blackish basal shade. [2]
The wingspan is 11.5–14 mm for males and 12 mm for females. [1] The forewings are blackish bronze, with a dark metallic purple basal blotch and transverse fasciae. [1] The termen is reflecting purple with a line of bluish white scales from the costa to below the fold. [1] There is a white dot in the disc and the hindwings are blackish brown. [1] 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. [1]
This species is endemic to New Zealand and is known from Auckland down to Southland. [5] [1]
Adults of this species are on the wing from November until February. [4]
This species inhabits native forest or scrub, with the adults preferring open glades. [4] They are known to be on the wing during the daylight hours. [4] They are active on hot sunny days. [4] Larvae have been shown to feed on the interior of twigs of Prumnopitys ferruginea after having been reared from specimens collected in Auckland. [6] The twigs had evidence of oviposition scars of cicadas and the larvae were collected in October. [6] The larvae were discovered by the collector as a reddish-brown frass indicated their location within the twigs. [6]
Sabatinca aurella is a species of moth of the family Micropterigidae. It is endemic to New Zealand. The larvae of this species are variable in appearance but tend to be coloured yellow-green with greyish patches. The adults of the species have a pale golden appearance with silver or purple coloured bars on the forewings. The moth has an approximate wingspan of around 1 cm. This species is found from the Coromandel Peninsula to the Fox Glacier and is on the wing from September to January. A larval host species is the liverwort Heteroscyphus lingulatus. The preferred habitat of this species is at higher altitudes than other New Zealand endemic species in this genus; and the moth tends to prefer forest or subalpine grass or scrubland.
Sabatinca chalcophanes is a moth of the family Micropterigidae. This species is endemic to New Zealand and is found in the North Island apart from Northland and in the South Island apart from in the east, south of Queen Charlotte Sound. The adults of this species are on the wing from November to April and as a result of this long period it has been hypothesised that this species has two broods. The preferred habitat of this species is in damp lowland forest. The larval host species are foliose liverwort species including Hymenophyton flabellatum.
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.
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.
Phycomorpha metachrysa, the milktree fruit moth, is a species of moth in the Copromorphidae family. It is endemic to New Zealand and has been found in the North and South Islands. The larvae feed on the fruit of species in the genus Streblus including Streblus heterophyllus. This adults of this species is on the wing from October to April.
Mnesarchella hamadelpha is a species of primitive moth in the family Mnesarchaeidae. It is endemic to New Zealand and is found in the Wellington, Marlborough Sounds, Marlborough and Nelson regions. It is frequently found at altitudes of between 800 and 1400m but can be found as low as approximately 400 m. It is often found in damp moss covered but well lit native forest. This species is very similar in appearance to M. acuta. However although M. hamadelpha is present in the same locations as M. acuta, it is usually found at higher altitudes or at later times in the year. Adults are on the wing from November to February.
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.
Hierodoris illita is a moth of the family Oecophoridae. 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.
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.
Athrips zophochalca is a moth of the family Gelechiidae. It was described by Edward Meyrick in 1918 and is endemic to New Zealand. A. zophochalca has been observed in both the North and South Islands as well as at the Poor Knights. The species inhabits scrubby native forest, saline wetlands and braided river habitat. Larvae bore into the terminal shoots of Carmichaelia species. Adults are on the wing from November until March and are sexually dimorphic with the male lacking the white band on the forewings.
Cryptolechia semnodes is a moth in the family Depressariidae. It is endemic to New Zealand. It was first described by Edward Meyrick in 1911 using a specimen collected at Mount Arthur tableland in February. It is dark in appearance and likely belongs to another genus. This species flies in bright sunshine and is likely a very local species. It is likely that this species probably belongs to another genus and as such this species is also known as Cryptolechia (s.l.) semnodes.
Heliostibes vibratrix is a species of moth in the family Oecophoridae. It is endemic to New Zealand. This species inhabits open mountainside habitat and is known to feed on Nothofagus truncata. Yellow-crowned parakeets predate the larvae of H. vibratrix.
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.
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.
Hierodoris frigida is a moth of the family Oecophoridae. It is endemic to New Zealand and is only found in the South Island. This species is found in two parts of that island, the Nelson/Tasman area and the Mackenzie, Otago and Dunedin areas in the southern part of the island. Although similar to H. iophanes this species can be distinguished as H. frigida has white bands on its forewings and the metallic coloured areas differ in placement. Segment 2 on the labial palp is entirely yellow and enables this species to be distinguished from the similar appearing species H. polita and H. torrida. Larvae have been collected amongst leaf litter from beneath species within the genus Thymus. It prefers open and shrubland habitats and adult moths have been observed flying close to the soil underneath Leptospermum scrub.
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.
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.
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.
Tingena chrysogramma is a species of moth in the family Oecophoridae. It is endemic to New Zealand and is found in the North and South Islands. The adults of this species inhabits open scrubland and are on the wing in January and February. It has been collected via light traps and beating shrubs. During sunny days this species has been observed resting on leaves and rarely flies. It is regarded as a rare species and has a possible association with Prumnopitys ferruginea.
Chrysorthenches drosochalca is a species of moth in the family Plutellidae first described by Edward Meyrick in 1905. It is endemic to New Zealand and has been found in the North and South Islands. The larvae are leaf miners of Prumnopitys ferruginea. Adults are on the wing from January to March.