| Metacrias | |
|---|---|
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| Female Metacrias huttoni | |
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| Male Metacrias huttoni | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Superfamily: | Noctuoidea |
| Family: | Erebidae |
| Subfamily: | Arctiinae |
| Subtribe: | Spilosomina |
| Genus: | Metacrias Meyrick, 1887 |
| Type species | |
| Metacrias erichrysa Meyrick, 1887 | |
 | |
Metacrias is a genus of moths in the family Erebidae. All species are endemic to New Zealand. [1] [2]
Metacrias was first described by Edward Meyrick in a paper in the journal Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales published in 1887. [3] [4] It has been postulated that this genus may be cogeneric with Phaos , an Australian genus. [5]
Edward Meyrick was an English schoolmaster and amateur entomologist. He was an expert on microlepidoptera and some consider him one of the founders of modern microlepidoptera systematics.
Physetica is a genus of moths of the family Noctuidae. This genus is endemic to New Zealand.
Epalxiphora is a genus of moths belonging to the subfamily Tortricinae of the family Tortricidae. This genus was first described by Edward Meyrick in 1881 and is endemic to New Zealand.
Macarostola miniella is a species of moth in the family Gracillariidae. It is endemic to New Zealand. This species is only found in the North Island and the adult moths have two different colour variations.
Erechthias chionodira is a species of moth in the family Tineidae. It was described by Edward Meyrick in 1880 using two specimens obtained in Auckland on a shady bank amongst forest in January. This species is endemic to New Zealand.
Metacrias strategica is a species of moth in the family Erebidae. This species is endemic to New Zealand where it is known from the southern part of the South Island. The female of the species is flightless and pale brown, grey or yellowish-brown in colour where as the male is brightly coloured and flies during the day.
Metacrias erichrysa is a species of moth of the family Erebidae. It is endemic to New Zealand. This species can be found in the lower half of the North Island and western alpine areas of the South Island. The adult female of the species is flightless and buff coloured whereas the male is brightly coloured and a rapid flier during daylight hours. The male of the species is on the wing from mid-November to early January. The species inhabits open herb and tussock fields in mountainous terrain at altitudes of between 900 and 1200 m. Larvae feed on Brachyglottis bellidioides,Festuca novae-zealandiae and indigenous species from the genera Acaena, Muehlenbeckia, Wahlenbergia and Raoulia.
Metacrias huttoni is a species of moth in the family Erebidae. This species is endemic to New Zealand where it is known from the eastern areas of the South Island. The female of the species is flightless and buff coloured where as the male is brightly coloured and flies during the day.
Glyphipterix achlyoessa, commonly known as the cocksfoot stem borer, is a species of moth in the family Glyphipterigidae. It is endemic to New Zealand and can be found throughout the country. This species inhabits meadows and open grasslands. The larvae are hosted by species in the genus Juncus as well as by the species Dactylis glomerata. Adult moths are commonly on the wing from October to December.
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.
Glyphipterix tungella is a species of sedge moth in the genus Glyphipterix. It is endemic to New Zealand.
Ericodesma aerodana is a species of moth of the family Tortricidae. It is endemic to New Zealand and is found in the North and South Islands. The species inhabits sand dunes and larvae feed on Pimelea prostrata. Adults are on the wing from October to January and are active at twilight. This species is classified as "At Risk, Declining" by the Department of Conservation as its larval host plant is under threat from habitat loss and the invasive to New Zealand plant, sea spurge.
Gadira leucophthalma, commonly known as the beaked moss moth, is a moth in the family Crambidae. It is endemic to New Zealand. This species has been classified as Nationally Vulnerable by the Department of Conservation.
Pyrgotis plagiatana is a species of moth of the family Tortricidae. It is found in New Zealand.
Physetica caerulea is a species of moth of the family Noctuidae. It is endemic to New Zealand and can be found from the centre of the North Island south, including the South and Stewart Islands. The adult moths are variable in appearance but can be distinguished by the bluish tinge to the forewings as well as the underside buff colour. However this species does have several forms including a very dark bluish black form, a brownish form and a green-brown form. It lives in open habitats and can be found in tussock grasslands and dunes and can normally be found from altitudes of sea level up to 900 m. Adults of this species are on the wing from August to April. As at 2017, the life history of is unknown as are the host species of its larvae. However it has been hypothesised that the larval host species is a tomentose plant.
Ichneutica fibriata is a moth in the family Noctuidae. It is endemic to New Zealand. Specimens of this moth were first collected by Frederick Giles Gibbs. The species is similar in appearance to other species in the Ichneutica genus particularly I. eris but can be distinguished due to its larger size and more uniform light grey colour. I. fibriata also has a similar coloured thorax and head where as these two anatomical features may differ in colour shade in I. eris. Adults frequent alpine areas and are on the wing in November to January. The life history and the host species of the larvae of this species is unknown.
Erechthias charadrota is a species of moth in the family Tineidae. It was described by Edward Meyrick in 1880 using three specimens caught in dry forest-scrub near Wellington and Port Lyttelton during the month of January. This species is endemic to New Zealand.
Erechthias chasmatias is a species of moth in the family Tineidae. It was described by Edward Meyrick in 1880 using two male specimens taken in forest in Wellington in January. This species is endemic to New Zealand. It has been found in the Wellington Botanic Garden.
Eschatotypa melichrysa is a species of moth in the family Tineidae. It was described by Edward Meyrick in 1880. This species is endemic to New Zealand. Meyrick regarded them as common in Wellington and Dunedin, in December and January. He obtained specimens from beating forest growth.
Austramathes pessota is a species of moth in the family Noctuidae. It is endemic to New Zealand and is found in Northland, in the southern North Island and in the South Island, mainly on the eastern side of that island but is also present in Fiordland. It is not regarded as being present in either Dunedin or the Southland district. This species lives in shrubland at altitudes ranging from sea-level up to subalpine. As at 2017, the larvae have yet to be described or photographed but it is known that they feed on Melicytus alpinus and it is likely that Melicytus micranthus is also a host. Adults of this species are distinctively patterned and coloured. Its appearance differs from its close relatives such as A. purpurea as it lacks the purple hue that can be seen on the latter species forewings. It also differs from A. coelacantha as it is much darker and has a distinctive small, round, pale mark on its forewing. Adults are on the wing from December to April.
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