Izatha psychra

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Izatha psychra
Izatha psychra dorsal.jpg
Status NZTCS NE.svg
Nationally Endangered (NZ TCS) [1]
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Oecophoridae
Genus: Izatha
Species:
I. psychra
Binomial name
Izatha psychra
(Meyrick, 1883) [2]
Synonyms
  • Aochleta psychraMeyrick, 1884

Izatha psychra is a species of moth in the family Oecophoridae. It is endemic to New Zealand. It is classified as Nationally Endangered by the Department of Conservation. In 2020 it was feared that this moth was extinct as a result of a fire at the Pukaki Scientific Reserve, the last known locality of this species. However a 2021 survey found I. psychra present in the small portion of the reserve that was not damaged by the fire.

Contents

Taxonomy

This species was first described by Edward Meyrick and named Aochleta psychra in 1884 using a male specimen collected by John Enys at Porters Pass. [3] [4] This type specimen is held at the Natural History Museum, London. [4] [5] George Vernon Hudson repeated Meyricks description in his 1928 publication The Butterflies and Moths of New Zealand. [6] In 1988 John S. Dugdale assigned Aochleta psychra to the genus Izatha. [4] Neither the larva nor the female of this species are known or have been described. [7]

Description

Meyrick described the species as follows:

Male. — 21 mm. Head and thorax grey-whitish, sprinkled with fuscous- grey. Palpi grey- whitish, mixed with fuscous, basal half of second joint dark fuscous externally, terminal joint with a slender dark fuscous ring above middle. Antennas grey. Abdomen grey-whitish. Legs dark- fuscous, posterior tibiae with grey-whitish hairs, all tarsi with obscure whitish rings at apex of joints. Forewings elongate, slightly dilated, costa gently arched, apex obtuse, hindmargin oblique, nearly straight ; whitish, irregularly irrorated with grey and fuscous scales ; these tend to form suffused markings, a spot on middle of inner margin, another above anal angle, a narrow suffusion along posterior half of costa, and an apical patch ; a small cloudy darker spot towards hindmargin in middle ; a minute black dot in disc at 1⁄3, another slightly above it in middle, and a very small blackish ocellus in disc at 2⁄3 : cilia whitish, with two cloudy grey lines. Hindwings whitish ; cilia whitish, with two faint grey lines. [3]

It is possible to confuse this species with some of the greyish coloured species within the genus Tingena . [7] However I. psychra can be distinguished as it lacks the antennal pecten of the Tigena species. [7]

Distribution

This species is endemic to New Zealand, [2] [8] and has only been found in the southern half of the South Island. I. psychra is only known from two localities, its type locality of Porters Pass where it has not been seen since the 19th century, and the small Pukaki Scientific Reserve near Lake Pukaki in the Mackenzie Basin. [7]

Ecology and habitat

Male adults are on the wing from January to February. [7] In the one remain site where this species is known to exist, the Pukaki Scientific Reserve, the habitat is shrubland. [7] The Pukaki Scientific Reserve was significantly damaged by fire in August 2020 and for a time fears were held that this may have resulted in the extinction of the species. [9] However a survey completed in 2021 caught two adult males of this species, indicating its continued existence. [9]

Host species

The host species of this moth are unknown, [7] however larvae are likely to feed on dead wood. [10]

Conservation status

Despite being given a level of protection by being classified as a Scientific Reserve, the lone shrubland site inhabited by I. psychra is vulnerable to wilding pine invasion and fire. [7] As a result, this species has been classified under the New Zealand Threat Classification system as being Nationally Endangered. [1] As at May 2021 conservation work is being undertaken to help protect the habitat of this moth after the devastating August 2020 fire at the reserve. [9]

Related Research Articles

<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 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 metadelta</i> Species of moth

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

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<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.

<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>Chersadaula ochrogastra</i> Species of moth

Chersadaula ochrogastra is a species of moth in the family Oecophoridae. This species is endemic to New Zealand. It is classified as "Data Deficient" by the Department of Conservation.

<i>Hierodoris stella</i> Species of moth endemic to New Zealand

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Gymnobathra origenes is a species of moth in the family Oecophoridae. This species is in need of taxonomic revision and it has been hypothesised that it belongs to the family Gelechiidae. The species is endemic to New Zealand. It has been classified as Data Deficient by the Department of Conservation. This species is known from only one specimen.

Leptocroca xyrias is a species of moth in the family Oecophoridae. The taxonomy of this species is in need of revision and L. xyrias likely belongs to a separate genus. It is endemic to New Zealand. It has been classified as Data Deficient by the Department of Conservation.

<i>Tingena anaema</i> Species of moth, endemic to New Zealand

Tingena anaema is a species of moth in the family Oecophoridae. It is endemic to New Zealand and has been collected at Lake Wakatipu, Invercargill and Stewart Island / Rakiura. The adults of the species are on the wing in December.

<i>Tingena apanthes</i> Species of moth, endemic to New Zealand

Tingena apanthes is a species of moth in the family Oecophoridae. It is endemic to New Zealand and found on the North Island. The adults are on the wing from October to December. It appears associated with Leptospermum species and it has been hypothesised that the appearance of the adults of this species imitates faded Leptospermum leaves.

<i>Tingena homodoxa</i> Species of moth, endemic to New Zealand

Tingena homodoxa is a species of moth in the family Oecophoridae. It is endemic to New Zealand and is found in the southern parts of the South Island. It inhabits open grassy slopes and is on the wing from November until January.

<i>Tingena horaea</i> Species of moth, endemic to New Zealand

Tingena horaea is a species of moth in the family Oecophoridae. It is endemic to New Zealand and have been observed in both the North and South Islands. The adults are on the wing in January.

<i>Tingena macarella</i> Species of moth, endemic to New Zealand

Tingena macarella is a species of moth in the family Oecophoridae. It is endemic to New Zealand and is found on both the North and South Islands. Adults of this species are on the wing from November until February. This species is attracted to light and the larvae are litter feeders.

<i>Tingena siderodeta</i> Species of moth, endemic to New Zealand

Tingena siderodeta is a species of moth in the family Oecophoridae. It is endemic to New Zealand and is found throughout the country. This species prefers to inhabit native forest and scrubland but has also been found to be common in cultivated landscapes. The larvae are litter feeders and have been observed in Kanuka and Manuka forest. The adult moths are on the wing from October to February and are day flying but have also been trapped at night.

<i>Tingena siderota</i> Species of moth, endemic to New Zealand

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<i>Trachypepla hieropis</i> Species of moth endemic to New Zealand

Trachypepla hieropis is a moth of the family Oecophoridae first described by Edward Meyrick in 1892. It is endemic to New Zealand and has been collected in both the North and South Islands. This species inhabits native forest and the larvae feed on leaf litter. Adults are on the wing in December and are attracted to light.

<i>Trachypepla leucoplanetis</i> Species of moth endemic to New Zealand

Trachypepla leucoplanetis is a moth of the family Oecophoridae first described by Edward Meyrick in 1883. It is endemic to New Zealand and has been collected in both the North and South Islands. It is the smallest moth species in the genus Trachypepla and the patterns on the forewings of adults are variable in appearance. It inhabits native forest and bush and the larvae feed on leaf litter. Adults are on the wing from October until February. T. leucoplanetis is regarded as being rarely observed and has been collected via the beating of foliage.

<i>Trachypepla spartodeta</i> Species of moth endemic to New Zealand

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References

  1. 1 2 Hoare, R.J.B.; Dugdale, J.S.; Edwards, E.D.; Gibbs, G.W.; Patrick, B.H.; Hitchmough, R.A.; Rolfe, J.R. (2017). Conservation status of New Zealand butterflies and moths (Lepidoptera), 2015 (PDF). Wellington, New Zealand: New Zealand Department of Conservation. p. 6. ISBN   9781988514383.
  2. 1 2 "Izatha psychra (Meyrick, 1883)". www.nzor.org.nz. Landcare Research New Zealand Ltd. Retrieved 2 May 2018.
  3. 1 2 Meyrick, Edward (1884). "On New Zealand Micro-Lepidoptera". Transactions and Proceedings of the Royal Society of New Zealand. 16: 1–49. Retrieved 8 April 2018.
  4. 1 2 3 Dugdale, J. S. (1988). "Lepidoptera - annotated catalogue, and keys to family-group taxa" (PDF). Fauna of New Zealand. 14: 96. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2019-01-27. Retrieved 2018-05-02– via Landcare Research New Zealand Ltd.
  5. ↑ "24525bce-273f-4e41-9b7c-a23fbc6a2da4 - Izatha psychra Meyrick". data.nhm.ac.uk. 2021-01-30. Retrieved 2021-03-06.
  6. ↑ Hudson, G. V. (1928). The Butterflies and Moths of New Zealand. Wellington: Ferguson & Osborn Ltd. p. 277. Archived from the original on 2020-09-28. Retrieved 2018-05-02.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Hoare, Robert J. B. (2010). "Izatha (Insecta: Lepidoptera: Gelechioidea: Oecophoridae)" (PDF). Fauna of New Zealand. 65: 1–201. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2019-01-26. Retrieved 2018-05-02.
  8. ↑ Gordon, Dennis P., ed. (2010). New Zealand inventory of biodiversity: Kingdom animalia : chaetognatha, ecdysozoa, ichnofossils. Vol. 2. p. 463. ISBN   978-1-877257-93-3. OCLC   973607714. OL   25288394M. Wikidata   Q45922947.
  9. 1 2 3 Allott, Amber (2021-03-05). "Narrow escape for critically endangered Canterbury moth". Stuff. Retrieved 2021-03-06.
  10. ↑ Patrick, Brian; Dugdale, John S. (2000). Conservation status of the New Zealand Lepidoptera (PDF). Wellington, New Zealand: Department of Conservation. p. 28. ISBN   0478218672.
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