Ichneutica olivea

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Ichneutica olivea
Graphania olivea female.jpg
Female
Graphania olivea male.jpg
Male
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Superfamily: Noctuoidea
Family: Noctuidae
Genus: Ichneutica
Species:
I. olivea
Binomial name
Ichneutica olivea
(Watt, 1916) [1]
Synonyms [2]
  • Melanchra oliveaWatt, 1916
  • Graphania olivea(Watt, 1916)
  • Melanchra lataPhilpott, 1927
  • Graphania lata(Philpott, 1927)

Ichneutica olivea is a moth of the family Noctuidae. [1] 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.

Contents

Taxonomy

This species was first described by Morris N. Watt in 1916 using a specimen he obtained in January at Mount Taranaki. [3] Watt originally named the species Melanchra olivea. [3] The holotype specimen used by Watt to describe the species has been lost. [2] However the paratype series of specimens collected by Watt in 1916 are held at the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa. [2] In 1988 J. S. Dugdale, in his catalogue of New Zealand Lepidoptera, placed this species within the Graphania genus. [4] In 2019 Robert Hoare undertook a major review of New Zealand Noctuidae. [2] During this review the genus Ichneutica was greatly expanded and the genus Graphania was subsumed into that genus as a synonym. [2] As a result of this review, this species is now known as Ichneutica olivea. [2]

Description

Watt described the species as follows:

Expanse of wings slightly under 1+34 in. The antennae of the male are deeply serrated, with the serrations finely ciliated. The forewings are very rich brown, strongly tinged with claret-colour ; there is a short blackish-brown basal streak, very broad at the base ; the first line is slightly curved oblique, extending from 14 of costa to 13 of dorsum ; the claviform is large ; the orbicular is large, oval, oblique, not closed towards the costa ; the reniform very large, ear-shaped, also open towards the costa, and inwardly edged with whitish towards the termen ; both reniform and orbicular are sharply outlined in very dark rich brown ; there is also a darker brownish cloud between them ; the second line is rich brown finely waved, indistinct except towards the dorsum ; the subterminal line is rusty-brown, obscurely edged with whitish ochreous ; the terminal area is obscurely clouded with blackish ; the hindwings are dark brown, paler towards the base. [3]

The adult males of this species have a wingspan of between 38 and 42 mm while the females have a wingspan of between 42 and 46 mm. [2] 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. [2]

Distribution

It is endemic to New Zealand. [5] This species is found in the central North Island down to the central South Island. [2]

Habitat

This species prefers shrubland habitat. [2]

Behaviour

The adults are on the wing from December to March and are attracted to light. [2] [3]

Life history and host species

The life history of this species is unknown as are the host species of its larvae. [2]

Related Research Articles

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<i>Ichneutica maya</i> Species of moth

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<i>Ichneutica lithias</i> Species of moth

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<i>Ichneutica mollis</i> Species of moth

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<i>Ichneutica omoplaca</i> Species of moth

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<i>Ichneutica pelanodes</i> Species of moth

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.

<i>Ichneutica petrograpta</i> Species of moth

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<i>Ichneutica oliveri</i> Species of moth

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<i>Ichneutica scutata</i> Species of moth

Ichneutica scutata is a moth of the family Noctuidae. It is endemic to New Zealand. This species can be found in the southern parts of the North Island as well as the eastern parts of the South Island. It is similar in appearance to I. insignis and I. skelloni but can be distinguished as I. scutata is much paler in appearance. It is likely this species inhabits lowland tussock grasslands as well as coastal dunes although it is not common in inland tussock grasslands. The larvae feed on a variety of herbaceous plants such as Plantago and Convolvulus species, Plagianthus divaricatus. It pupates on soil near its host plants. The adults are on the wing from late March to July.

<i>Ichneutica sericata</i> Species of moth

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<i>Meterana tetrachroa</i> Species of moth

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<i>Ichneutica averilla</i> Species of moth

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.

<i>Ichneutica agorastis</i> Species of moth

Ichneutica agorastis is a moth of the family Noctuidae. This species is endemic to New Zealand. This moth is similar in appearance to two other species in the genus but can be distinguished through the colour and size of its forewings. This species is found in the South Island and Stewart Island in open habitats in the subalpine zone. However, in Southland I. agorastis can be found down to sea-level. Adult moths are on the wing between January and April. The life history and host species are unknown.

<i>Ichneutica panda</i> Species of moth

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.

<i>Ichneutica erebia</i> Species of moth

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.

<i>Ichneutica brunneosa</i> Species of moth

Ichneutica brunneosa is a moth of the family Noctuidae. This species is endemic to New Zealand. It can be found in the North Island from Mount Te Aroha and in the South Island from the Coromandel to Stewart Island. However it appears to not be present in the centre of the South Island. The distinctive colour and patterns on the forewing of this species ensures it is unlikely to be confused with similar species. It inhabits native forests with higher rainfall and is attracted to mercury vapour light traps. The life history of I. brunneosa is unknown as are the host species of its larvae but the adults of the species are on the wing from October to January.

<i>Ichneutica fenwicki</i> Species of moth

Ichneutica fenwicki is a moth of the family Noctuidae. This species is endemic to New Zealand and is found in the southern parts of the South Island and on Stewart Island. It is a distinctively coloured moth that is unlikely to be confused with closely related species. It is a spring flying moth being on the wing from September to November. The life history and host species of the larvae of I. fenwicki are unknown.

<i>Ichneutica skelloni</i> Species of moth endemic to New Zealand

Ichneutica skelloni is a moth of the family Noctuidae. This species is endemic to New Zealand. Its presence has been confirmed in the North Island only in the Wellington region but is widespread throughout the South Island. It is also found in Stewart Island. I. skelloni is extremely variable in size, in the colour and patterns on the fore and hind wings, length of pectinations on male antennae and even in its genitalia. A larger more patterned form can be found in Westland and Fiordland, a medium-sized form is found from Wellington to Stewart Island and there is also a smaller Dunedin and Southland form. This species can be confused with specimens with the species I. insignis, I. scutata and I. pelanodes. I. skelloni can be found in forest and shrubland habitat. Adults are on the wing from July to April and are attracted to light. Host plants for the larvae are found in the genera Plantago, Senecio and Ranunculus and also include the species Bellis perennis.

<i>Ichneutica lindsayorum</i> Species of moth

Ichneutica lindsayorum is a moth of the family Noctuidae. This species is endemic to New Zealand and can be found in the southern parts of the North Island and in the South Island. I. lindsayorum is very similar in appearance to I. olivea but has a longer basal streak and lacks the white scaling from the subterminal line on the forewing that can be found on the forewings of I. olivea. The life history of this species is unknown as are the host species of its larvae in the wild. However larvae have been reared on Ozothamnus leptophyllus. The adults of this species are on the wing from December to April.

<i>Physetica sequens</i> Species of moth endemic to New Zealand

Physetica sequens is a species of moth of the family Noctuidae. It is endemic to New Zealand and can be found throughout the North and South Islands. It appears to be more common in the North Island than the South Island, and lives in open native shrublands, peatlands, Northland gumland, inland volcanic dunes, and Dracophyllum-dominated areas at altitudes that range from sea level to the alpine zone, up to at least 1600 m. Larvae of this species have been successfully reared on Leucopogon fasciculatus and Leptecophylla juniperina. The adults of this species are variable in appearance and are on the wing from September to March. P. sequens is similar in appearance to P. phricias but can be distinguished as P. phricias has a narrow black line along the dorsum of its forewing that P. sequens does not. P. sequens is also similar in appearance to P. cucullina however the forewing dorsum area of P. sequens does not have the narrow black line that is frequently present on P. cucullina forewings.

References

  1. 1 2 "Ichneutica olivea (Watt, 1916)". www.nzor.org.nz. 2021. Retrieved 2021-08-05.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Hoare, Robert J. B. (2019-12-09). "Noctuinae (Insecta: Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) part 2: Nivetica, Ichneutica". Fauna of New Zealand. 80: 1–455. doi:10.7931/J2/FNZ.80.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Watt, Morris N. (1916). "Description of a new species of Melanchra from Mount Egmont". Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute. 48: 413 via Biodiversity Heritage Library.
  4. Dugdale, John Stewart (1988-09-23). "Lepidoptera - annotated catalogue, and keys to family-group taxa" (PDF). Fauna of New Zealand. 14: 1–264.
  5. "Ichneutica olivea (Watt, 1916)". nztcs.org.nz. 2021. Retrieved 2021-08-05.