Ichneutica oliveri

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Ichneutica oliveri
Graphania oliveri female.jpg
Female
Graphania oliveri 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. oliveri
Binomial name
Ichneutica oliveri
(Hampson, 1911) [1]
Synonyms [2]
  • Morrisonia oliveriHampson, 1911
  • Melanchra oliveri(Hampson, 1911)
  • Graphania oliveri(Hampson, 1911)

Ichneutica oliveri is a moth of the family Noctuidae. [1] It is endemic to New Zealand, found only in the South Island. However it has not been observed on the eastern side of that island from mid-Canterbury southwards to Southland. This species is distinctive and is unlikely to be confused with other closely related species. It inhabits tussock grasslands, shrubland as well as granite sand plains, all in the alpine zone. Adults are on the wing from December to March and are attracted to light. They have been observed feeding on the flowers of Hebe species. The life history of this species is unknown as are the larval hosts.

Contents

Taxonomy

Humboldt Range Humboldt Mountains, South Island, New Zealand.jpg
Humboldt Range

I. oliveri was first described by George Hampson in 1911 using a single female specimen collected at Bold Peak in the Humboldt Range by F. S. Oliver. [3] The holotype specimen is held at the Natural History Museum, London. [4] George Hudson described the species in his 1928 publication The butterflies and moths of New Zealand under the name Melanchra oliveri. [5] In 1988, in his catalogue of New Zealand Lepidoptera, J. S. Dugdale placed this species within the genus Graphania. [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 oliveri. [2]

Description

Ichneutica oliveri Ichneutica oliveri 111941173.jpg
Ichneutica oliveri

Hampson described this species as follows:

♀ . Head and thorax grey-white, the vertex of head, tegulae, and dorsum of thorax tinged with brown, the outer edge of patagia brown; palpi brown; frons with lateral black bars; fore tibiae and tarsi suffused with brown; abdomen whitish tinged with grey-brown. Fore wing whitish faintly tinged with rufous, the area from subcostal nervure to above inner margin suffused with olive and blackish to postmedial line, the veins and submedian fold remaining whitish ; a strong black streak below base of cell ; anteraedial line black denned on inner side by white, oblique, waved, from subcostal nervure to above inner margin ; orbicular defined by black and with some whitish in centre, oblique ; reniform defined by black, narrow, angled inwards on median nervure to below orbicular ; postmedial line black defined on outer side by white, slightly bent outwards below costa, then oblique, dentate, angled inwards in submedian fold to near antemedial line ; subterminal line represented by the outer edge of the white area, defined on inner side by dentate black marks below costa and from vein 6 to submedian fold, angled outwards to termen at apex and veins 7, 4, 3, the area beyond it olive and blackish ; a pale line at base of cilia. Hind wing grey suffused with fuscous brown ; the underside white tinged with grey, a dark discoidal spot and diffused curved postmedial line. [3]

I. oliveri is a distinctive moth, unlikely to be confused with other species. [2] The male has a wingspan of between 38 and 40 mm and the female of between 42 and 46 mm. [2]

Distribution

This species is endemic to New Zealand. [6] It is found only in the South Island, however this species has not been observed on the east side of that island from mid-Canterbury down to Southland. [2]

Habitat

This species prefers to inhabit tussock grasslands and shrubland in the alpine zone. [2] This species also inhabits granite sand plains, a rare ecosystem in New Zealand, again in the alpine zone. [7]

Behaviour

Adults of this species are on the wing from December to March. [2] This species is drawn to light. [8]

Life history and host species

The life history of this species is unknown as are the host species of the larvae. [2] Adults have been observed feeding from flowers of Hebe species during the evening. [5]

Related Research Articles

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<i>Acrapex spoliata</i> Species of moth

Acrapex spoliata is a species of moth of the family Noctuidae first described by Francis Walker in 1863. It is found in Africa, including Sierra Leone and South Africa.

<i>Acronicta pruinosa</i> Species of moth

Acronicta pruinosa is a moth of the family Noctuidae. It is found in Sri Lanka, the Himalaya, east to Japan and Taiwan south to Myanmar and Peninsular Malaysia, Borneo, Java and New Guinea.

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

Ichneutica morosa is a moth of the family Noctuidae. It is endemic to New Zealand and is found in the southern parts of the North Island and throughout the South Island. I. morosa is common in the eastern parts of both those islands and also in Fiordland. I. morosa can be found from altitudes ranging from lowlands to the alpine zone. I. morosa is absent from the range of its closely related species I. mustulenta, that is from the northern North Island. The larvae of I. morosa are known to feed on Poa astonii and also on other Poa species including introduced species. As well as its standard form the adult moths have a grey colour morph with the head and thorax being a grey and mottled brown, and the forewing being a pale greyish ochreous to a deep brown, suffused with grey. I. morosa can be confused with I. mustulenta and I. lignana. Adults are on the wing from November to April.

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

Ichneutica omoplaca is a moth of the family Noctuidae. It is endemic to New Zealand. It is widespread from the Bay of Plenty in the North Island down to Southland in the South Island. Specimens have also been collected from the Auckland Islands. It lives in a variety of habitats including beech forest clearings and tussock grasslands. This species has been recorded that some of the larval hosts of this species include Poa cita, Dactylis glomerata and it has been reared on Plantago lanceolata. The larva is undescribed but pupae have been found in a pine plantation in soil under weeds. Adults of this species are on the wing from October to March. The adult moths are variable in appearance but the diagnostic feature is the pale ochreous to white colouring between the basal streak and the costa which contrasts with the ground colour of the forewing.

<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 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

Ichneutica sericata is a moth of the family Noctuidae. It is endemic to New Zealand. This species is variable and difficult to distinguish from I. skelloni specimens. It is known from the southern part of the South Island and from Stewart Island. There has been one specimen collected in Taranaki but although Robert Hoare determined the species, he expressed reservations given the location of collection. I. sercata inhabits shrubland at altitudes of between 470 and 900m. The life history of this species is unknown as are the host species of its larvae. The adults of this species are on the wing in August at Stewart Island and in November and December in the South Island.

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

Meterana tetrachroa is a species of moth of the family Noctuidae. This species is endemic to New Zealand. It is classified as "Data Deficient" by the Department of Conservation.

Catephia poliochroa is a species of moth of the family Erebidae. It is found in Kenya.

Sufetula polystrialis is a moth in the family Crambidae. It was described by George Hampson in 1912. It is found on the Louisiade Islands.

Udea melanostictalis is a moth in the family Crambidae. It was described by George Hampson in 1916. It is found in Kenya.

Ulopeza sterictodes is a species of moth in the family Crambidae. It was described by George Hampson in 1912. It is found in Papua New Guinea.

<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 chryserythra</i> Species of moth

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.

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

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.

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

Ichneutica chlorodonta, also known as the Green-toothed Owlet, is a moth of the family Noctuidae. This species is endemic to New Zealand. It is found throughout the North, South and Stewart Islands and is associated with native forest and shrubland. It can be confused with similar looking species such as I. subcyprea however I. chlorodonta can be distinguished through differences in colouration of its fore and hind wings as well as the length of the male pectinations. The life history of this species is unknown as are the host species of its larvae but adults of I. chlorodonta are on the wing from September to April.

<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.

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. 1 2 "Ichneutica oliveri (Hampson, 1911)". www.nzor.org.nz. Retrieved 2021-07-20.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 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.
  3. 1 2 Hampson, G. F. (1911). "Descriptions of new genera and species of Syntomidae, Arctiidae, Agaristidae and Noctuidae". The Annals and Magazine of Natural History. Series 8. 8 (46): 393–445. doi:10.1080/00222931108693053. ISSN   0374-5481 – via Biodiversity Heritage Library.
  4. 1 2 Dugdale, J. S. (1988). "Lepidoptera - annotated catalogue, and keys to family-group taxa" (PDF). Fauna of New Zealand. 14: 204. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 January 2019. Retrieved 24 January 2018.
  5. 1 2 George Vernon Hudson (1928), The butterflies and moths of New Zealand, Illustrator: George Hudson, Wellington, p. 69, LCCN   88133764, OCLC   25449322, Wikidata   Q58593286 {{citation}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  6. ↑ "Ichneutica oliveri (Hampson, 1911)". nztcs.org.nz. 2021. Retrieved 2021-07-20.
  7. ↑ Hoare, R. J. B.; Millar, I. R.; Richardson, S. J. (2016-01-02). "The insect fauna of granite sand plains: a naturally rare ecosystem in New Zealand". New Zealand Entomologist. 39 (1): 1–14. doi:10.1080/00779962.2015.1108159. ISSN   0077-9962. S2CID   87600286.
  8. ↑ "Ichneutica oliveri". iNaturalist. 4 February 2021. Retrieved 2021-07-20.
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