Izatha peroneanella

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Izatha peroneanella
Green lichen tuft moth.jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Oecophoridae
Genus: Izatha
Species:
I. peroneanella
Binomial name
Izatha peroneanella
(Walker, 1864)
Synonyms
  • Gelechia peroneanellaWalker, 1864
  • Gelechia adapertellaWalker, 1864
  • Cryptolechia lichenellaWalker, 1864

Izatha peroneanella, also known as the small lichen moth or the green lichen tuft, is a moth of the family Oecophoridae. It is endemic to New Zealand, where it is found throughout the North Island, other than the Aupouri Peninsula of Northland.

Contents

Description

The wingspan is 15–24.5 mm for males and 17–29.5 mm for females. This moth has pale green forewings with patches of raised black scales that camouflage it well when it rests on lichens. [1] The colouration of this moth is variable with the pale green forewings sometimes being white while in another form the black tufts are coloured brown. [1] [2]

Distribution

This species is endemic to New Zealand. [3] It is found in the North Island with the exception of the Aupouri Peninsula.

Biology and behaviour

Larvae of this species grow to approximately 16mm long and pupate in early November within its tunnel. [1] There is one generation per year. [1] Adults are on wing from September to early April. They are attracted to light. [2]

Habitat and host species

This species is commonly found near native forest. [1]

Larvae have been recorded feeding on the dead wood of a variety of angiosperm species. They bore tunnels into the wood. [1] The larvae usually prefer standing dead trees rather than wood found on the forest floor. [1] Larvae have been reared from Alseuosmia species, Carpodetus serratus , Coprosma grandifolia , Coriaria arborea , Fuchsia excorticata , Nestegis species, Pseudopanax arboreus , Ripogonum scandens , Sophora species and Wisteria species. [4]

Related Research Articles

<i>Stigmella hoheriae</i> Species of moth

Stigmella hoheriae is a species of moth of the family Nepticulidae. This day flying moth is found in New Zealand in both the North and South Islands. It inhabits native forest. Eggs are laid on the surface of a still growing leaf of a host plant. Larvae feed on Hoheria species such as Hoheria glabrata, Hoheria populnea, Hoheria sexstylosa and Hoheria angustifolia and have been recorded from February to August. The larvae of S. hoheriae are leaf miners. Their mines create blotches on the host plant leaves. S. hoheriae larvae pupate in a silk cocoon on the ground at the base of their food plant. Adult moths have been observed on the wing in February and from July to December. This species is rarely noticed as it is very small and as a result does not tend to attract attention when on the wing.

<i>Izatha</i> Genus of moths

Izatha is a genus of moths of the family Oecophoridae. They are commonly known as lichen tuft moths. This genus is endemic to New Zealand.

<i>Izatha attactella</i> Species of moth

Izatha attactella is a moth of the family Oecophoridae. This species is endemic to New Zealand, where it is known from both the North and South Islands as far south as mid-Canterbury. Larvae of this species feed on the soft inner surface of the bark of dead trees and shrubs. Adults have been recorded from September to December.

<i>Izatha austera</i> Species of moth

Izatha austera is a species of moth in the family Oecophoridae. It is endemic to New Zealand. The larvae of this species feed on dead wood by tunnelling into branches of its host species. The larvae matures from September and is on the wing in the months of December to January. The adult moth is variable in colouration but is seldom observed.

<i>Izatha copiosella</i> Species of moth

Izatha copiosella is a moth of the family Oecophoridae. It is endemic to New Zealand, where it is found on the south-eastern parts of the North Island and throughout the South Island except the West Coast. Larvae are found in dead wood and are likely to use kōwhai species as hosts. The adults are night fliers and are attracted to light. They are on the wing in January and February.

<i>Izatha apodoxa</i> Species of moth

Izatha apodoxa is a moth of the family Oecophoridae. It is endemic to New Zealand, where it is known from scattered localities in the southern North Island. This species is variable in appearance and comes in two forms, a grey form and a black and white form. In the grey form it is very similar in appearance to I. notodoxa and in the black and white form to I. katadiktya. At present the larvae and biology of this species is unknown.

<i>Izatha picarella</i> Species of moth

Izatha picarella is a moth of the family Oecophoridae. It is endemic to New Zealand, where it is known from the Nelson and Marlborough districts of the northern South Island.

<i>Izatha balanophora</i> Species of moth

Izatha balanophora is a moth of the family Oecophoridae. It is endemic to New Zealand, where it is widespread in the North Island. Larvae live off the dead bark of kānuka. The adult moths are on the wing during December to March.

<i>Izatha mesoschista</i> Species of moth

Izatha mesoschista is a moth of the family Oecophoridae. It is endemic to New Zealand.

Izatha haumu is a species of moth in the family Oecophoridae. It is endemic to New Zealand. This species is classified as "At Risk, Naturally Uncommon" by the Department of Conservation. It is believed to only inhabit the Aupouri Peninsula.

<i>Izatha heroica</i> Species of moth

Izatha heroica is a moth of the family Oecophoridae. It is endemic to New Zealand, where it is widespread in the west part of the South Island. It has been collected in southern beech forests but larvae have been reared on dead kanuka or manuka bushes.

<i>Izatha hudsoni</i> Species of moth

Izatha hudsoni is a species of moth in the family Oecophoridae. It is endemic to New Zealand. It is widespread throughout the North Island.

<i>Izatha huttonii</i> Species of moth

Izatha huttonii is a moth of the family Oecophoridae. It is endemic to New Zealand, where it is known from the Wellington district of the North Island, the South Island, and Stewart Island. Although similar in appearance to related species I. huttonii can be distinguished as it has a distinctive "M" shaped mark on its forewings. The larvae feed on the dead wood of makomako and karamu. Adult moths have been collected from October to March.

Izatha taingo is a species of moth in the family Oecophoridae. It is endemic to New Zealand. This species is classified as "At Risk, Naturally Uncommon" by the Department of Conservation. It is only known from the Aupouri Peninsula of Northland.

Izatha spheniscella is a species of moth in the family Oecophoridae. It is endemic to New Zealand. This species is classified as "At Risk, Naturally Uncommon" by the Department of Conservation. It is only found on the subantarctic Snares Islands.

<i>Izatha prasophyta</i> Species of moth endemic to New Zealand

Izatha prasophyta is a moth of the family Oecophoridae. It is endemic to New Zealand, where it is known from the North Island, except Hawkes Bay or the Wairarapa. Larvae likely feed on rotting wood although larvae of this species have been reared on the fruiting body of the bracket fungus Bjerkandera adusta. Adults are on the wing from November to February.

<i>Izatha caustopa</i> Species of moth

Izatha caustopa is a lichen tuft moth in the family Oecophoridae. It is endemic to New Zealand, where it is known very locally, and very infrequently, from the southern half of the North Island: two specimens collected in 2016 were the first seen for 30 years. It is classified as "Data Deficient" by the Department of Conservation.

Izatha dasydisca is a species of moth in the family Oecophoridae. It is endemic to New Zealand. This species is classified as "At Risk, Naturally Uncommon" by the Department of Conservation.

<i>Izatha rigescens</i> Species of moth

Izatha rigescens is a species of moth in the family Oecophoridae. It is endemic to New Zealand. This species is classified as having the conservation status of "Data Deficient" by the Department of Conservation. It is only known from the Wellington coast. This species has not been seen since 1929.

<i>Heterocrossa eriphylla</i> Species of moth

Heterocrossa eriphylla, also known as the lichen snoutlet moth, is a species of moth in the family Carposinidae. It is endemic to New Zealand. The larvae of this species feed on the healing wounds of New Zealand beech trees.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Early, John (2009). Know your New Zealand-- native insects & spiders. Auckland, N.Z.: New Holland. p. 150. ISBN   978-1869662530.
  2. 1 2 Hoare, R. J. B. (2010). "Izatha (Insecta: Lepidoptera: Gelechioidea: Oecophoridae)" (PDF). Fauna of New Zealand. 65: 1–201. ISBN   978-0-478-34725-8. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2019-01-26. Retrieved 2018-06-18.
  3. ↑ "Izatha peroneanella (Walker, 1864)". www.nzor.org.nz. Landcare Research New Zealand Ltd. Retrieved 2018-06-18.
  4. ↑ "PlantSynz - Invertebrate herbivore biodiversity assessment tool: Database". plant-synz.landcareresearch.co.nz. Retrieved 2018-07-08.


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