Ichneutica thalassarche

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Ichneutica thalassarche
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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. thalassarche
Binomial name
Ichneutica thalassarche
Hoare, 2019 [1]

Ichneutica thalassarche is a moth of the family Noctuidae. [1] [2] This species is endemic to New Zealand and is only found in the Chatham Islands. It has been collected at Chatham Island, Pitt Island and Rangatira Island. The life history of this species is unknown as are the host species of its larvae. The adults of this species are large with a pale grey throax and forewing. A diagnostic feature is the pattern on its forewing which is a white subterminal line joined by black "teeth" markings. This species has been recorded as a winter flyer having been collected in June to August.

Contents

Taxonomy

This species was described by Robert Hoare in 2019. [2] The male holotype specimen was collected by L. Smith on Pitt Island in the Chatham Islands and is held at the Entomology Research Museum, Lincoln University. [2]

Description

The adult male of this species has a wingspan of 47 mm and the female has a wingspan 50 mm. [2] This species is large with a pale grey throax and forewing. [2] A diagnostic feature of this species is the pattern on its forewing which is a white subterminal line joined by black "teeth" markings. [2]

Distribution

This species is endemic to New Zealand and has only been found on the Chatham Islands. [2] It has been collected at Chatham Island, Pitt Island and Rangatira Island. [2] [3]

Behaviour

This species has been recorded as a winter flyer having been collected in June to August. [2] [4]

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

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

Ichneutica lithias is a moth of the family Noctuidae. This species is endemic to New Zealand. It is a small moth but distinctive as a result of the markings on its forewings. Although this species is widespread in the South Island, it has only been collected in the Rangipo Desert in the North Island. The species prefers habitat that is scrubland ranging in altitude from coastal to alpine. Adults are on the wing from October to April and larvae have been collected and reared on the New Zealand endemic plant species Melicytus alpinus.

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

Ichneutica mollis is a moth of the family Noctuidae. It is endemic to New Zealand and is found from the Coromandel peninsular and Mount Te Aroha southwards including in the South and Stewart Islands. It lives in a variety of habitats including mountainous beech forest, podocarp forest and also grasslands. The larvae feed on grasses and herbs. The adults of this species are on the wing from October to March and are attracted to light and feed on blossoms.

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

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.

<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 rubescens</i> Species of moth

Ichneutica rubescens is a moth of the family Noctuidae. It is endemic to New Zealand. This species can be found locally in the North Island but is widespread throughout the South Island and is present on both Stewart Island and the Auckland Islands. I. rubescens has a round or oval mark near the centre of the forewing that encloses a dot. This is diagnostic of this species. I. rubescens inhabits tussock grasslands, beech as well as podocarp forests. Larval hosts are likely herbaceous plants such as grasses and herbs and larvae have been reared on Gunnera prorepens. Adults of this species are on the wing from December to April and are attracted to light.

<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>Ichneutica blenheimensis</i> Species of moth

Ichneutica blenheimensis is a species of moth in the family Noctuidae. It is endemic to New Zealand and is found throughout the North, South and the Stewart Islands. This species appears to prefer drier eastern localities and is rarely collected in western North Island forested areas. It does not appear to be frequently collected in inland dry tussock grassland habitats. The host plant for the larvae of this species is likely to be the golden sand sedge pīngao which is now absent from the moths type locality. However Chappell has raised very young larvae on grass species and the more developed larvae consumed Phormium tenax. Adults are on the wing from November to March and are attracted to both light and sugar traps. The blackish forewing fringes are diagnostic of this species. But worn specimens of I. arotis can be confused with worn specimens of I. blenheimensis. However I. arotis can be distinguished from I. blenheimensis as it has a scale-tuft on the thorax and dark longitudinal stripes on the tegula. This species is classified as "At Risk, Naturally Uncommon" by the Department of Conservation.

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

Ichneutica steropastis, or the flax notcher moth, is a species of moth in the family Noctuidae. It is endemic to New Zealand and can be found throughout the country from the Three Kings Islands to Stewart Island as well as in the Chatham Islands. The larvae of this species feed on a variety of native and introduced plants however the New Zealand flax is one of the more well known host plants for the larvae of this moth. The larvae are nocturnal, hiding away in the base of the plants and coming out to feed at night. They create a distinctive notch in the leaf when they feed. The adults of this species are on the wing from October to March. Although adult specimens of I. steropastis are relatively easy to recognise they might possibly be confused with I. inscripta, I. theobroma or with darker forms of I. arotis. However I. steropastis can be distinguished as it has a long dark basal forewing streak that these three species lack.

<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>Austramathes squaliolus</i> Species of moth

Austramathes squaliolus is a species of moth in the family Noctuidae. It is endemic to New Zealand and is found only in the Chatham Islands on the Chatham, Pitt, Little Mangere and Rangatira Islands. The larvae of A. squaliolus is similarly patterned to the larvae of A. fortis and have lateral yellow markings that contrast with the dark dorsal marbling. However this marbling is darker in A. squaliolus in comparison to the lighter coloured A. fortis. Melicytus chathamicus is the larval host-plant for this species. The adult moth is again very similar in appearance to A. fortis and, as with A. fortis, the black line curved at the forewing base is the distinguishing feature. However the two species are unlikely to be confused as their ranges do not overlap. The adult moths are on the wing in November and December and have been observed flying at dusk.

<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 nobilia</i> Species of moth

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.

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

Ichneutica marmorata is a moth of the family Noctuidae. 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.

<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 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.

Ichneutica peridotea is a moth of the family Noctuidae. This species is endemic to New Zealand. The species is similar in appearance to Ichneutica plena but are more dull olive-green in appearance and the male lacks the patches of orange-brown forewing scales of the male I. plena. As at 2021 I. peridotera has only been collected in the Auckland District although Robert Hoare hypothesises that its range may include the northern districts of the North Island. The lack of information about this species is partially due to the fact it is late winter flying. The life history of this species is unknown as are the hosts of its larvae. Its preferred habitat is forest and the adults are attracted to light.

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

Ichneutica sistens is a moth of the family Noctuidae. This species is endemic to New Zealand. It can be found in the central North Island and throughout the South Island, although it is more common on the eastern side of that latter Island. It is very variable in both colour and size. I. sistens prefers open habitat such as tussock grasslands, dunes and braided rivers. Larval host species include grasses in the family Poaceae and include species in the genera Rytidosperma and Elymus, as well as Poa cita and Agrostis capillaris. Adults are on the wing from January to May and are attracted to light.

<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.

Ichneutica seducta is a moth of the family Noctuidae. This species is endemic to New Zealand. It is found only in the Chatham Islands and inhabits native forest. The life history of this species is unknown but the larval host species is likely to be Dracophyllum arboreum. The adults of this species are on the wing from November to January and are attracted to light.

References

  1. 1 2 "Ichneutica thalassarche Hoare, 2019". www.nzor.org.nz. 2021. Retrieved 2021-08-09.
  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. "Ichneutica thalassarche Hoare, 2019". nztcs.org.nz. 2021. Retrieved 2021-08-09.
  4. "Ichneutica thalassarche". iNaturalist. 4 July 2020. Retrieved 2021-08-09.