Ichneutica marmorata

Ichneutica marmorata
	Female
	Male
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Superfamily:	Noctuoidea
Family:	Noctuidae
Genus:	Ichneutica
Species:	I. marmorata
Binomial name
	Ichneutica marmorata; (Hudson, 1924)
Synonyms
	Persectania marmorataHudson, 1924 ; Ichneutica dives Philpott, 1924;

Last updated November 24, 2023

Ichneutica marmorata is a moth of the family Noctuidae.^[2] This species is endemic to New Zealand and can be found in the North Island at the Tongariro National Park and at Puketitiri near the Kaweka Range. In the South Island it is widespread. It prefers alpine to subalpine habitat but occurs down to sea level altitudes in more southern locations. Adults are on the wing from late October to February. Larvae of this species may use tussock grasses in the genus Chionochloa as their host and they have been reared on Festuca novae-zelandiae.

Taxonomy

This species was first described by George Hudson in 1924 using a single specimen collected by James Wishart Campbell at Arthur's Pass.^[3] Hudson originally named the species Persectania marmorata.^[3] The female holotype specimen is held at the Canterbury Museum.^[1] Later in 1924 Alfred Philpott also described this species and named it Ichneutica dives.^[4] In 1927 Philpott synonymised this name with I. marmorata.^[5] J. S. Dugdale discussed this species in his 1988 catalogue under the name I. marmorata.^[6] In 2019 Robert Hoare undertook a major review of New Zealand Noctuidae.^[1] During this review he confirmed that this species falls within the Ichneutica genus.^[1]

Description

Hudson describes the female adult of the species as follows:

The expansion of the wings of the female is 1+1⁄2. The fore-wings are rather narrow with the termen moderately oblique, very slightly scalloped ; reddish grey ; the lines and stigmata outlined in black ; the stigmatic, basal and costal region (as far as the second line) heavily suffused with white ; the basal line is indicated by two short bars, one on the costa, the other below the subcostal vein ; first line interrupted, very strongly waved, from 1⁄4 of costa to 1⁄3 of dorsum ; claviform obscure ; orbicular small, very elongate, clearly outlined in black ; a conspicuous, almost elliptical black marking between orbicular and reniform ; reniform large, margined with black except towards costa and dorsum, white, with two small cloudy yellowish-brown marks within ; second line strongly dentate, from 2⁄3 of costa to near middle of dorsum, a very deep oblique sinuation between veins 1 and 2 ; subterminal line moderately dentate ; beyond subterminal line there is a conspicuous series of partly confluent ochreous spots; a terminal series of small blackish lunules ; the cilia are red-brown. The hind-wings are very pale ochreous-grey, with a series of very faint terminal lunules ; the cilia are almost white.^[3]

The pupa has large raised and wrinkled ridges on its dorsal side and has a long forked cremaster.^[1]

The male of the species has a wingspan of between 33 and 41 mm and the female has a wingspan of between 41 and 46 mm.^[1] The adults of I. marmorata are variable in appearance and may be confused with I. notata or I. chryserythra.^[1]I. marmorata can be distinguished from I. notata as the former has violet-reddish or grey coloured forewings where as I. notata has forewings that have a slight greenish shade.^[1] The male I. notata also has longer pectinations of the antenna.^[1]I. chryserythra can be distinguished from I. marmorata as it lacks the dark edging on the markings found on the forewing of I. marmorata specimens.^[1]

Distribution

This species is endemic to New Zealand.^[1]^[7] It has been observed in only two areas of the North Island, Tongariro National Park and at Puketitiri.^[1] In the South Island this species is widespread.^[1]

Habitat

It prefers alpine to sub alpine habitats in its central North Island and northern South Island range but moving southwards down the country this moth can occur at lower altitudes including for example at sea level in Fiordland.^[1]

Behaviour

Adults of this species are on the wing from late October to February,^[1] and are attracted to sugar traps.^[4]

Life history and host species

The information on the life history of this species is not definitive.^[1] A possible host of the larvae of this moth is tussock grass as the female of I. marmorata has been seen laying eggs on Chionochloa rubra subsp. cuprea.^[1] Larvae have been reared on Festuca novae-zelandiae.^[1]

Related Research Articles

Ichneutica is a genus of cutworm or dart moths in the family Noctuidae. The genus is found in New Zealand and surrounding islands. There are more than 80 described species in Ichneutica, the largest known genus of Lepidoptera in New Zealand. In 2019 this genus was revised and greatly expanded with the genera Graphania Hampson, 1905, Tmetolophota Hampson, 1905 and Dipaustica Meyrick, 1912 all subsumed within it.

Ichneutica lignana is a moth of the family Noctuidae. It is endemic to New Zealand. This species is found on the Three Kings Islands as well as the North, South and Stewart Islands. This species lives in a variety of habitats including coastal areas, tussock grasslands, shrublands, and native forest, at a range of altitudes from sea level to over 1300 m. I. lignana is quite distinctive in appearance with its dark markings on the abdomen and forewings although it is possible to confuse Ichneutica morosa, Meterana pansicolor and Meterana pascoi with this species. Adults are on the wing throughout the year in the northern parts of the New Zealand but are restricted to the months of October to April in the more southern parts of the country.

Ichneutica olivea is a moth of the family Noctuidae. It is endemic to New Zealand and is found in the central North Island down to the central South Island. It is very similar in appearance to I. lindsayorum but has a shorter basal streak and has white scaling from the subterminal line on the forewings that I. lindsayorum lacks This species prefers shrubland habitat. The life history of I. olivea is unknown as are the host species of its larvae. The adults are on the wing from December to March and are attracted to light.

Ichneutica pelanodes is a moth of the family Noctuidae. It is endemic to New Zealand and has been found in scattered locations in the North, South and Stewart Islands. I. pelanodes is easily confused with I. skelloni as the two species are visually extremely similar. In the North Island though the range of the two species appears not to overlap. Generally of the two species I. pelanodes tends to be darker in appearance. I. pelanodes inhabits wetlands but the life history of this species is unknown as are the host species of its larvae. Adults are on the wing from October to February and are attracted both to sugar and light traps.

Ichneutica atristriga is a moth of the family Noctuidae. It is endemic to New Zealand and is found through out the North, South and Stewart Islands. The larval hosts likely include tussock grasses included Poa cita, P. colensoi and Festuca novae-zelandiae. Larvae have been reared on species in the genera Bromus and Festuca. The adults of this species are on the wing from November to May. I. atristriga can possibly be confused with the smaller species I. propria. However I. atristriga has thorax and forewings that have a pinkish tinge and I. propria has a dark streak on the discal part of the forewing which I. atristriga lacks. A study has indicated that the population numbers of this species have decreased.

Ichneutica propria is a moth of the family Noctuidae. It is endemic to New Zealand. This species is only known from Tongariro National Park and Pureora Forest in the North Island but is widespread in the South Island. I. propria might be confused with faded I. atristriga, however the later species lacks the distinctive marking on the prothorax nor does it have the black mark running through the middle of the forewing. It is very common and widespread in montane to alpine grassland areas. Although the larvae have yet to be described, they have been reared on Poa cita and Festuca novae-zelandiae and are known to feed on introduced grass species. The adults of this species are on the wing from December to mid May and are attracted to light.

Ichneutica similis is a moth of the family Noctuidae. It is endemic to New Zealand. This species is found only in certain parts of the North Island, in the western side of the South Island and on Stewart Island. It inhabits peatlands as well as inland and coastal wetlands. The life history of this species is unknown and the host species of its larvae has yet to be confirmed. It has been hypothesised that larval host species might be within the Empodisma genus as well as possibly the species Apodasmia similis.

Ichneutica averilla is a moth of the family Noctuidae. It is endemic to New Zealand. This species is found in the North Island at Mount Taranaki but is widespread throughout the South Island and Stewart Island. It prefers mountainous habitat but can be found down to sea level in the southern parts of the South Island. Adults of the species are on the wing between November and March. Larvae likely exist on a variety of herbaceous plants but have been recorded as feeding on species within the genus Plantago. This species is sometimes confused with I. mutas but can be distinguished from the latter on the basis of forewing colour as well as the absence of or an indistinct antemedian forewing line.

Ichneutica cuneata is a moth in the family Noctuidae. It is endemic to New Zealand. I. cuneata is found in and around the Tongariro National Park in the North Island and throughout the South Island. Specimens found in Tongariro National Park tend to be darker in appearance than South Island specimens but as their colour is variable, and antennae and genitalia of both species are consistent, they are not now regarded as a separate species. I. cuneata inhabits tussock grasslands and shrublands in alpine and subalpine zones. The adults are on the wing from December to April and can be found flying during the day. The life history of I. cuneata is unknown as are the specific host species of its larvae. However larvae of I. cuneata are said to feed on herbaceous plants. The adults of this species also pollinate native species such as Myosotis macrantha.

Ichneutica panda is a species of moth in the family Noctuidae. It is endemic to New Zealand and only found in central and southern parts of the South Island. The species has not been collected in Canterbury since the late 1950s and has not been seen at The Wilderness scientific reserve since 1941. This species is similar in appearance to Ichneutica falsidica however I. panda lack or have indistinct black dashes on their edge of their hindwings. I. panda inhabit shrubland from alpine zones down to river terraces and adults are on the wing between December and February. The life history of this species is unknown as is the host species of the larvae.

Ichneutica ceraunias is a moth of the family Noctuidae. It is endemic to New Zealand. This species is found from the central North Island to the bottom of the South Island. Hosts of the larvae are species of Chionochloa and Festuca. This colourful moth is variable in appearance and can be mistaken for Ichneutica dione. Adults are on the wing from October to February.

Ichneutica dione is a moth of the family Noctuidae. It is endemic to New Zealand. This moth species is closely related to I. ceraunias and is very similar in appearance to that species. However I. dione has a much more restrictive range, being found only in the alpine zone and hills of the South Island and is less commonly collected. Adults of the species are on the wing from December to February and although sometimes can be found flying during the day, they are more commonly seen at night.

Ichneutica cana is a moth of the family Noctuidae. It is endemic to New Zealand.

Ichneutica notata is a moth of the family Noctuidae. It is endemic to New Zealand. Although similar in appearance to other species in the Ichneutica genus, it can be distinguished by the colouration and patterns on its wings. It appears to be a very local species, rarely collected and having only been recorded in the north-west of the Tasman District, the Paproa Range, the Rainbow Ski field and the Craigieburn Range. Very little is known of the life history of I. notata.

Ichneutica chryserythra is a moth of the family Noctuidae. Living specimens have distinctive violet red coloured forewings but can be distinguished from the similar species Ichneutica marmorata as it lacks the dark edge markings of the later species. I. chryserythra can only be found in the southern parts of the South Island. Adults are on the wing between November and January. The life history of the species and the host species of its larvae are unknown.

Ichneutica nobilia is a moth of the family Noctuidae. This species is endemic to New Zealand and can be found in the South Island, although not in the Nelson, Dunedin or Southland regions. This species prefers rocky habitats in alpine zones and the blueish-grey sheen on the species' forewings help camouflage it. Adults of I. nobilia are on the wing from December to February and are attracted to light. The life history of this species is unknown as are the host species of its larvae.

Ichneutica disjungens is a moth of the family Noctuidae. This species is endemic to New Zealand and can be found on the central volcanic plateau of the North Island and in the eastern as well as the south western parts of the South Island. I. disjungens inhabits tussock grasslands in the alpine and subalpine zones. The hosts of the larvae of this species include Poa cita, P. colensoi, and Festuca novae-zelandiae. The adults of this species are distinctive and are unlikely to be confused with other species. They are on the wing between October and March.

Ichneutica bromias is a moth of the family Noctuidae. This species is endemic to the Chatham Islands of New Zealand where is found on the Chatham, Pitt and Rangatira Islands. This species is similar in appearance to Ichneutica mutans but is darker and duller in its overall appearance. However, as I. mutans is not present in the Chathams this similarity is unlikely to cause confusion. The adults of the species are on the wing from November to March. The life history and the larval host species are unknown.

Ichneutica erebia is a moth of the family Noctuidae. This species is endemic to New Zealand and is found on Campbell Island and the Auckland Islands. Adults of this species are on the wing from August to January. The adults are variable in appearance but can be distinguished from similar species by the patters or lack thereof on their forewings. The larvae of I. erebia are polyphagous and hosts include Pleurophyllum criniferum, species within the genera Stilbocarpa and Carex, as well as Chionochloa antarctica, Urtica australis and Raukaua simplex.

Ichneutica sapiens is a moth of the family Noctuidae. This species is endemic to New Zealand. I. sapiens is found in the central North Island, in the South Island in Westland and also the southern parts of the South Island, and in Stewart Island. This species inhabits wetland habitat but its life history is unknown as are the host species of its larvae. The adult moths are on the wing between December and early January and are attracted to sugar traps and to light. I. sapiens is very similar in appearance to I. micrastra but is a smaller moth with a shorter wingspan, has differently formed antennae and slightly different forewing markings.

References

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 Hoare, Robert J. B. (9 December 2019). "Noctuinae (Insecta: Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) part 2: Nivetica, Ichneutica". Fauna of New Zealand. 80: 1–455. doi:10.7931/J2/FNZ.80.
↑ "Ichneutica marmorata (Hudson, 1924)". www.nzor.org.nz. Retrieved 2021-07-19.
1 2 3 Hudson, George Vernon (1924). "Description of a new noctuid from New Zealand". Entomologist's Monthly Magazine . 60: 7–8. ISSN 0013-8908. Wikidata Q104172663.
1 2 Philpott, Alfred (1924-06-06). "Notes and descriptions of New Zealand Lepidoptera". Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute. 55: 207–214 – via Biodiversity Heritage Library.
↑ Philpott, Alfred (1927-08-15). "Notes and Descriptions of New Zealand Lepidoptera". Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute. 58: 80–90.
↑ Dugdale, J. S. (1988). "Lepidoptera - annotated catalogue, and keys to family-group taxa" (PDF). Fauna of New Zealand. 14: 206. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 January 2019. Retrieved 24 January 2018.
↑ "Ichneutica marmorata". nztcs.org.nz. 2021. Retrieved 2021-07-20.

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[Hoare2019-1] 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 Hoare, Robert J. B. (9 December 2019). "Noctuinae (Insecta: Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) part 2: Nivetica, Ichneutica". Fauna of New Zealand. 80: 1–455. doi:10.7931/J2/FNZ.80.

[NZOR-2] "Ichneutica marmorata (Hudson, 1924)". www.nzor.org.nz. Retrieved 2021-07-19.

[Hudson1924-3] 1 2 3 Hudson, George Vernon (1924). "Description of a new noctuid from New Zealand". Entomologist's Monthly Magazine . 60: 7–8. ISSN 0013-8908. Wikidata Q104172663.

[:0-4] 1 2 Philpott, Alfred (1924-06-06). "Notes and descriptions of New Zealand Lepidoptera". Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute. 55: 207–214 – via Biodiversity Heritage Library.

[5] Philpott, Alfred (1927-08-15). "Notes and Descriptions of New Zealand Lepidoptera". Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute. 58: 80–90.

[Dugdale1988-6] Dugdale, J. S. (1988). "Lepidoptera - annotated catalogue, and keys to family-group taxa" (PDF). Fauna of New Zealand. 14: 206. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 January 2019. Retrieved 24 January 2018.

[7] "Ichneutica marmorata". nztcs.org.nz. 2021. Retrieved 2021-07-20.

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