Homodotis megaspilata

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Homodotis megaspilata
Homodotis megaspilata female.jpg
Female
Homodotis megaspilata male.jpg
Male
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Geometridae
Genus: Homodotis
Species:
H. megaspilata
Binomial name
Homodotis megaspilata
(Walker, 1862) [1]
Synonyms [1]
  • Larentia megaspilataWalker, 1862
  • Cidaria assataFelder & Rogenhofer, 1875
  • Cidaria nehataFelder & Rogenhofer, 1875
  • Asaphodes megaspilata(Walker, 1862)

Homodotis megaspilata, also known as the small hooked-tip looper moth, is a moth of the family Geometridae. It is endemic to New Zealand and can be found throughout the country. It is regarded as being common species. The preferred habitat of this species is native forest, scrub, coastal areas and domestic gardens. Larvae feed on the dead leaves of Geniostoma ligustrifolium and likely other native plants. Once mature the larvae will pupate on the ground forming a silken cocoon protected by hiding inside two leaves of its host plant. Adults are nocturnal and are on the wing from October to April. They are attracted to light. In appearance the adults of this species are extremely variable but can be distinguished from similar species as all variations have forewings with blunt hook shaped tips.

Contents

Taxonomy

This species was first described by Francis Walker in 1862 under the name Larentia megaspilata using a specimen from T. R. Oxley's collection. [2] It was also described by Baron Cajetan von Felder, Rudolf Felder and Alois Friedrich Rogenhofer in 1875 as Cidaria assata and Cidaria nehata. [3] [4] These later names were synonymised by Edward Meyrick in 1883, [5] and the species was described in more detail in 1884. [6] George Hudson discussed and illustrated this species under the name Asaphodes megasplitata in both his 1898 and his 1928 books on Lepidoptera. [7] [8] Hudson was following Meyrick's decision to extend this genus to apply to all species with bipectinate male antennae and with undivided areole on the forewing areole. [9] In 1971 Dugdale, after undertaking a study of the genitalia of moths contained in the genus Asaphodes, reinstated the genus Homodoits and placed this species within it. [9] This placement was confirmed by Dugdale in 1988. [10] The holotype specimen, collected in Nelson by T. R. Oxley, is held at the Natural History Museum, London. [10]

Description

Egg of H. megasplitata. Fig 15 MA I437590 TePapa Frontispiece-The-butterflies full (cropped).jpg
Egg of H. megasplitata.
H. megaspilata larva. LEPI Geometridae Homodotis megaspilata larva.png
H. megaspilata larva.
Live H. megaspilata. Homodotis megaspilata 167646113.jpg
Live H. megaspilata.

Hudson described the adults of this species in 1898 as follows:

The expansion of the wings is about 1 inch. The fore-wings are dull ochreous ; there is a series of fine brown and reddish wavy transverse lines near the base, forming a rather broad basal band ; then a pale central area containing a blackish dot above the middle ; next, a very distinct band made up of several fine wavy grey lines, with a rounded projection near the middle ; this is followed by numerous pale brown curved marks forming more or less broken transverse lines; there is always an oblique slaty patch below the apex, and a series of minute dots on the termen. The hind-wings are ochreous brown, slightly darker towards the base, with numerous indistinct wavy brown lines. The apex of the fore-wing is very pointed and slightly hooked downwards; the termen is bowed near the middle. The female is much duller and more uniform in colour than the male, and the antennae are simple. [7]

This species is extremely variable in appearance. [11] Some male specimens have several more or less distinct white markings on the middle of the fore-wings ; the transverse bands also differ considerably in both size and intensity. [7] The females are not so variable ; but in some specimens the bands on the fore-wings are almost absent, whilst others have the forewings rich brown, with a very conspicuous dark central band. [7] The adults of this species can be distinguished from other species of a similar appearance as it has forewings with blunt hook shaped tips. [11]

This species might possibly be confused with Homodotis falcata , as their range overlaps from Dunedin south. [11] However this latter species is a larger moth but with less strongly hooked forewings. [11]

Distribution

Homodotis megaspilata is endemic to New Zealand and is very common throughout the country. [12] [11]

Habitat and hosts

Larval host Geniostoma ligustrifolium. Geniostoma ligustrifolium ligustrifolium 210752905.jpg
Larval host Geniostoma ligustrifolium.

This species inhabits native forest as well as scrub, coastal areas and domestic gardens. [7] [11] The larvae of this species feed on the dead leaves and has been recorded feeding on the leaf litter of Geniostoma ligustrifolium . [13] [11] The adult moths have been documented as pollinating Olearia virgata and Leptospermum scoparium . [14] Adults have also been observed visiting the flowers of Meticytus ramiflorus . [15]

Life cycle and behaviour

The eggs are pale yellow when first laid. [7] They turn dark reddish-brown for some days before the young larva emerges. [7] The young larva is rather stout, dark brownish-black with numerous fine parallel ochreous lines the whole body is covered with rather long bristles. [7] It is said to resemble "the fruiting body of a minute knobbed fungus". [11] The larvae of this species are known to be predated upon by mice as well as by Cermatulus nasalis nasalis . [13] [16] H. megasilata pupates on the ground inside cocoon hidden in a dead leaf. [11] This species probably hibernates in the imago state during the winter months. [7] Adults are on the wing from October until April. [7] Adults are nocturnal, flying during the evening from dusk. [11] They are attracted to light. [11]

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References

  1. 1 2 Dugdale, J. S. (1988). "Lepidoptera - annotated catalogue, and keys to family-group taxa" (PDF). Fauna of New Zealand. 14: 182. Retrieved 16 January 2018.
  2. ↑ Walker, Francis (1862). "XXIV: Geometrites (continued)". List of the Specimens of Lepidopterous Insects in the Collection of the British Museum. pt. 24: 1021–1280 – via Biodiversity Heritage Library.
  3. ↑ von Felder, Baron Cajetan; Felder, R.; Rogenhofer, A. F. (1875). "Lepidoptera". Reise der österreichischen Fregatte Novara um die Erde. (Zoologischer Theil.). pt.9:Bd.2:Abt.2 Atlas: Plate CXXXI fig. 4 – via Biodiversity Heritage Library.
  4. ↑ von Felder, Baron Cajetan; Felder, R.; Rogenhofer, A. F. (1875). "Lepidoptera". Reise der österreichischen Fregatte Novara um die Erde. (Zoologischer Theil.). pt.9:Bd.2:Abt.2 Atlas: Plate CXXXI fig. 6 – via Biodiversity Heritage Library.
  5. ↑ Meyrick, Edward (1883). "Monograph of New Zealand Geometrina". New Zealand Journal of Science. 1: 526–531 – via Biodiversity Heritage Library.
  6. ↑ Meyrick, Edward (1884). "A monograph of the New Zealand Geometrina". Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute. 16: 49–113 – via Biodiversity Heritage Library.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 George Vernon Hudson (1898), New Zealand moths and butterflies (Macro-lepidoptera) , Illustrator: George Hudson, London, pp. 55–56, doi:10.5962/BHL.TITLE.7912, OCLC   980865393, Wikidata   Q19073637
  8. ↑ George Vernon Hudson (1928), The butterflies and moths of New Zealand, Illustrator: George Hudson, Wellington, p. 108, OCLC   25449322, Wikidata   Q58593286
  9. 1 2 J. S. Dugdale (10 November 1971). "Entomology of the Aucklands and other islands south of New Zealand: Lepidoptera, excluding non-crambine Pyralidae" (PDF). Pacific Insects Monographs . 27: 27. ISSN   0078-7515. Wikidata   Q64006453.
  10. 1 2 John Stewart Dugdale (23 September 1988). "Lepidoptera - annotated catalogue, and keys to family-group taxa". Fauna of New Zealand. Department of Scientific and Industrial Research. 14: 182. doi:10.7931/J2/FNZ.14. ISSN   0111-5383. Wikidata   Q45083134.
  11. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Hoare, Robert J. B. (2014). A photographic guide to moths & butterflies of New Zealand. Ball, Olivier. Auckland: New Holland Publishers (NZ) Ltd. p. 97. ISBN   9781869663995. OCLC   891672034.
  12. ↑ "NZOR Name Details - Homodotis megaspilata (Walker, 1862)". www.nzor.org.nz. Landcare Research New Zealand Ltd. Retrieved 16 January 2018.
  13. 1 2 J. S. Dugdale (June 1996). "Natural history and identification of litter‐feeding Lepidoptera larvae (Insecta) in beech forests, Orongorongo Valley, New Zealand, with especial reference to the diet of mice(Mus musculus)". Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand. 26 (2): 257. doi:10.1080/03014223.1996.9517513. ISSN   0303-6758. Wikidata   Q56091899.
  14. ↑ Richard B. Primack (July 1983). "Insect pollination in the New Zealand mountain flora". New Zealand Journal of Botany. 21 (3): 317–333. doi:10.1080/0028825X.1983.10428561. ISSN   0028-825X. Wikidata   Q54669862.
  15. ↑ Mary H. Powlesland (January 1984). "Reproductive biology of three species of Melicytus (Violaceae) in New Zealand". New Zealand Journal of Botany. 22 (1): 81–94. doi:10.1080/0028825X.1984.10425235. ISSN   0028-825X. Wikidata   Q113517783.
  16. ↑ Marie-Claude Larivière (23 November 1995). "Cydnidae, Acanthosomatidae, and Pentatomidae (Insecta: Heteroptera): systematics, geographical distribution, and bioecology" (PDF). Fauna of New Zealand. Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research. 35. doi:10.7931/J2/FNZ.35. ISSN   0111-5383. OCLC   34575913. Wikidata   Q45050363.

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