Lathicrossa prophetica

Last updated

Lathicrossa prophetica
Lathicrossa prophetica holotype.jpg
Male holotype
Status NZTCS DD.svg
Data Deficient (NZ TCS) [1]
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Oecophoridae
Genus: Lathicrossa
Species:
L. prophetica
Binomial name
Lathicrossa prophetica
Meyrick, 1927

Lathicrossa prophetica is a species of moth of the family Oecophoridae. It is endemic to New Zealand and has been found in both the North and South Islands. This species inhabits sub-alpine native forest and adults are on the wing in January. It is classified as "Data Deficient" by the Department of Conservation.

Contents

Taxonomy

This species was described by Edward Meyrick in 1927 using a specimen collected by Selwyn Woodward at Mount Arthur in the Nelson district in January. [2] [3] George Hudson discussed and illustrated this species in his 1928 publication The Butterflies and Moths of New Zealand. [4] The male holotype specimen is held at the Natural History Museum, London. [3]

Description

Illustration by Hudson. Fig 8 MA I437913 TePapa Plate-LII-The-butterflies full (cropped).jpg
Illustration by Hudson.

Meyrick described the species as follows:

♀ 16 mm. Head whitish with a few blackish scales. Palpi whitish sprinkled blackish, terminal joint with broad blackish band. Thorax pale pink mixed dark grey. Forewings somewhat dilated, apex obtuse-pointed, termen faintly sinuate, oblique; light rose-pink suffusedly mixed dark grey; a small black spot on base of costa, and one just beyond and beneath it; stigmata forming small black spots, plical obliquely beyond first discal and rather smaller, each of these followed by a white dot, second discal subquadrate; the pink groundcolour forms small distinct spots on costa at middle and ¾ between patches of dark suffusion: cilia grey mixed pinky-whitish, base rose-pink. Hindwings grey finely irrorated blackish-grey; cilia grey, basal third blackish-grey. [2]

Distribution

This species is endemic to New Zealand. [5] Other than the type locality, it has been collected at Karori in Wellington, Lake Rotoroa and at Karamea Bluffs on the West Coast. [1]

Biology and behaviour

The adults of this species is on the wing in January. [2]

Habitat

Mount Arthur, type locality of L. prophetica. Mount Arthur (New Zealand) 039.jpg
Mount Arthur, type locality of L. prophetica.

The holotype specimen was collected at approximately 1050m above sea-level. [4] This species frequents sub-alpine forest. [4]

Conservation status

This species has been classified as having the "Data Deficient" conservation status under the New Zealand Threat Classification System. [6]

Related Research Articles

<i>Thectophila</i> Genus of moths

Thectophila is a genus of moths in the family Cosmopterigidae, although some sources place it in the family Blastodacnidae. The genus contains only one species, Thectophila acmotypa. This species is endemic to New Zealand. It is classified as "Data Deficient" by the Department of Conservation.

<i>Bascantis</i> Genus of moths

Bascantis is a genus of moths belonging to the family Tineidae. It contains only one species, Bascantis sirenica, that is endemic to New Zealand. This species is classified as "Data Deficient" by the Department of Conservation.

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

Stigmella progama is a species of moth in the family Nepticulidae. This species is endemic to New Zealand. It is classified as "Data Deficient" by the Department of Conservation. S. progama has only been collected on Bold Peak in Otago.

Stigmella propalaea is a species of moth in the family Nepticulidae. It is endemic to New Zealand. This species is classified as "Data Deficient" by the Department of Conservation.

<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>Heterocrossa epomiana</i> Species of moth

Heterocrossa epomiana is a species moth in the family Carposinidae. It is endemic to New Zealand and has been observed in Westland. Adults are on the wing in January. This species is visually very similar to H. gonosemana and to H. philpotti.

<i>Circoxena ditrocha</i> Species of moth

Circoxena ditrocha is a species of moth in the family Blastodacnidae. This species is endemic to New Zealand and has been collected on both the North and South Islands. The habitat of this species is on the edges of native forest or scrub and it may be associated withPseudopanax arboreus. As at 2000 the host species of this moth is unknown but it has been hypothesised that the larvae are seed borers. Adults are on the wing in December to March. It is classified as "At Risk, Naturally Uncommon" by the Department of Conservation.

Petasactis is a genus of moths belonging to the family Tineidae. It contains only one species, Petasactis technica, which is endemic to New Zealand. This species has not been collected since prior to 1888. It is classified as "Data Deficient" by the Department of Conservation.

<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.

<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>Erechthias lychnopa</i> Species of moth, endemic to New Zealand

Erechthias lychnopa is a species of moth in the family Tineidae. This species is endemic to New Zealand and has only been collected in a karaka grove at Sinclair Head in Wellington in November. It has yet to be collected again. It has been hypothesised that the larvae inhabit dead wood. It is classified as "Data Deficient" by the Department of Conservation.

<i>Pyrgotis pyramidias</i> Species of moth endemic to New Zealand

Pyrgotis pyramidias is a species of moth in the family Tortricidae. It is endemic to New Zealand. It is classified as "At Risk, Naturally Uncommon" by the Department of Conservation. This species is regarded as having two 'forms' although doubt has been expressed whether these are the same species.

<i>Pyrgotis transfixa</i> Species of moth

Pyrgotis transfixa is a species of moth of the family Tortricidae. It is endemic to New Zealand. It is classified as "At Risk, Naturally Uncommon" by the Department of Conservation.

<i>Eudonia ustiramis</i> Species of moth

Eudonia ustiramis is a species of moth in the family Crambidae. This species is endemic to New Zealand. It is classified as "Data Deficient" by the Department of Conservation.

<i>Asaphodes chlorocapna</i> Species of moth

Asaphodes chlorocapna is a species of moth in the family Geometridae. This species is endemic to New Zealand and can only be found in the Chatham Islands. The larvae of this species consume the leaves of Muehlenbeckia plants. Adults are on the wing in January. This species is classified as "At Risk, Relict'" by the Department of Conservation.

<i>Austrocidaria lithurga</i> Species of moth

Austrocidaria lithurga is a species of moth in the family Geometridae. It is endemic to New Zealand. This moth is classified as at risk, naturally uncommon by the Department of Conservation.

<i>Trachypepla cyphonias</i> Species of moth

Trachypepla cyphonias is a species of moth in the family Oecophoridae. It is endemic to New Zealand and has been collected in Wellington and Taranaki. Larvae of this species have been reared from kānuka leaf litter. Adults are on the wing in December. This species is classified as "At Risk, Naturally Uncommon" by the Department of Conservation.

<i>Gymnobathra origenes</i> Species of moth

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.

<i>Proteodes melographa</i> Species of moth endemic to New Zealand

Proteodes melographa is a species of moth in the family Depressariidae. It is endemic to New Zealand and has been observed at Mount Arthur and in the Nelson District. It inhabits forest in the alpine zone. The larvae of this species feeds on native beech trees.

References

  1. 1 2 "NZTCS Lepidoptera Spreadsheet". www.doc.govt.nz. Retrieved 2 June 2018.
  2. 1 2 3 Meyrick, E. (1927). "Descriptions of New Zealand Lepidoptera". Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute. 57: 697–702. Retrieved 2 June 2018.
  3. 1 2 Dugdale, J. S. (1988). "Lepidoptera - annotated catalogue, and keys to family-group taxa" (PDF). Fauna of New Zealand. 14: 131. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 January 2019. Retrieved 1 June 2018.
  4. 1 2 3 Hudson, G. V. (1928). The Butterflies and Moths of New Zealand. Wellington: Ferguson & Osborn Ltd. p. 293. OCLC   25449322.
  5. "Lathicrossa prophetica Meyrick, 1927". www.nzor.org.nz. Landcare Research New Zealand Ltd. Retrieved 2018-06-02.
  6. 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). New Zealand Threat Classification Series. 20: 5.