Mallobathra cataclysma

Mallobathra cataclysma
	Holotype
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Psychidae
Genus:	Mallobathra
Species:	M. cataclysma
Binomial name
	Mallobathra cataclysma; Clarke, 1934

Last updated January 08, 2024

Mallobathra cataclysma is a moth of the family Psychidae.^[1]^[2] It was described by Charles Edwin Clarke in 1934. This species is endemic to New Zealand and has been observed in Otago. Adults are on the wing in January and have been collected just before sunrise at the bushline in native Nothofagus forest.

Taxonomy

This species was first described by Charles Edwin Clarke in 1934 using one specimen collected at the bushline at Harris Saddle, upper Routeburn River, in January.^[3]^[2] George Hudson discussed this species in his 1939 book A supplement to the butterflies and moths of New Zealand.^[4] Hudson was of the opinion that the female holotype for M. cataclysma agreed with the female specimens in his collection of M. lapidosa and so synonymised that name.^[4] However J. S. Dugdale recognised M. cataclysma as a separate species in his 1988 annotated catalogue of New Zealand lepidopteria.^[2] The female holotype is held the Auckland War Memorial Museum.^[2]^[5]

Description

Clarke described this species as follows:

♂ 9 mm. Head and palpi grey ochreous. Thorax grey fuscous, abdomen fuscous. Antennae grey fuscous, ciliations 2. Forewings elongate, costa arched, apex acutely rounded, termen oblique; very pale ochreous with fuscous markings and irroration, the most distinct at about ½ on costa, others at ⅔ broken and irrorated, distinct on dorsum; others across from near edge of termen. Cilia pale. Hindwings grey; cilia pale grey.^[3]

This species differs from M. metrosema as it is paler in colour as well as being larger in size. M. cataclysma differs from M. scoriota as it is smaller, is again paler, has a different shape to the markings on its forewings and differs in the length of antennal ciliations.^[3]

Distribution

M. cataclysma is endemic to New Zealand.^[1] It has been observed in Otago.^[2]

Behaviour

An adult of this species has been collected walking on the bark of species in the genus Nothofagus .^[3] Adults of this species have been collected just before the sun rises and are on the wing in January.^[6]

Related Research Articles

Reductoderces microphanes is a moth of the family Psychidae. This species is endemic to New Zealand. R. microphanes is a bagworm moth and its larvae likely feed on lichen or algae. Historically there has been some confusion over the identification of this species with George Hudson mistakenly describing and illustrating unnamed species and then attributing those descriptions and illustrations to this species. Charles Edwin Clarke discussed this species stating that it and its close relatives were active and able to be collected in damp mists before sunrise.

Reductoderces cawthronella is a moth of the Psychidae family. It was described by Alfred Philpott in 1921 and named in honour of the Cawthron Institute. It is endemic to New Zealand and has been collected in Nelson on the Maitai Valley side of the Botanical Hill. The larvae inhabits a fragile, pear shaped case and it has been hypothesised that they are lichen or alga browsers. Larvae pupate at the end of June and adults emerge at the beginning of August until the middle of October.

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Mallobathra memotuina is a moth of the family Psychidae. It was described by Charles Edwin Clarke in 1934.This species is endemic to New Zealand and has been observed in and around Dunedin. Adults are on the wing in November and December and have been collected just before sunrise.

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Trachypepla minuta is a moth of the family Oecophoridae first described by Alfred Philpott in 1931. It is endemic to New Zealand and has been collected in Auckland. Adults of this species are on the wing in December. It is distinguishable from similar species as it is smaller in size and darker in appearance than other species in the genus Trachypepla.

References

1 2 3 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.
1 2 3 4 5 John Stewart Dugdale (23 September 1988). "Lepidoptera - annotated catalogue, and keys to family-group taxa". Fauna of New Zealand. Department of Scientific and Industrial Research. 14: 68. doi:10.7931/J2/FNZ.14. ISSN 0111-5383. Wikidata Q45083134.
1 2 3 4 Charles E. Clarke (May 1934). "Notes and Descriptions of New Zealand Lepidoptera". Transactions and Proceedings of the Royal Society of New Zealand . 64: 15. ISSN 1176-6166. Wikidata Q110090429.
1 2 George Vernon Hudson (1939), A supplement to the butterflies and moths of New Zealand, Illustrator: George Hudson, Wellington: Ferguson and Osborn Limited, p. 468, OCLC 9742724, Wikidata Q109420935 This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain .
↑ Arthur William Baden Powell (1941). "Biological Primary Types in the Auckland Museum". Records of the Auckland Institute and Museum . 2: 239–259. ISSN 0067-0464. JSTOR 42905985. Wikidata Q58676616.
↑ Charles E. Clarke (February 1933). "The Lepidoptera of the Te Anau-Manapouri Lakes Districts". Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute. 63 (2): 115. ISSN 1176-6158. Wikidata Q62934927.

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[NZIB-1] 1 2 3 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.

[Dugdale1988-2] 1 2 3 4 5 John Stewart Dugdale (23 September 1988). "Lepidoptera - annotated catalogue, and keys to family-group taxa". Fauna of New Zealand. Department of Scientific and Industrial Research. 14: 68. doi:10.7931/J2/FNZ.14. ISSN 0111-5383. Wikidata Q45083134.

[Clarke-3] 1 2 3 4 Charles E. Clarke (May 1934). "Notes and Descriptions of New Zealand Lepidoptera". Transactions and Proceedings of the Royal Society of New Zealand . 64: 15. ISSN 1176-6166. Wikidata Q110090429.

[Hudson1939-4] 1 2 George Vernon Hudson (1939), A supplement to the butterflies and moths of New Zealand, Illustrator: George Hudson, Wellington: Ferguson and Osborn Limited, p. 468, OCLC 9742724, Wikidata Q109420935 This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain .

[5] Arthur William Baden Powell (1941). "Biological Primary Types in the Auckland Museum". Records of the Auckland Institute and Museum . 2: 239–259. ISSN 0067-0464. JSTOR 42905985. Wikidata Q58676616.

[6] Charles E. Clarke (February 1933). "The Lepidoptera of the Te Anau-Manapouri Lakes Districts". Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute. 63 (2): 115. ISSN 1176-6158. Wikidata Q62934927.

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