Mnesarchaea fallax

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Mnesarchaea fallax
Mnesarchaea fallax NZAC 101D04D8-73B4-46C8-BA1B-92F7E6143DE9.jpg
Status NZTCS NT.svg
Not Threatened (NZ TCS) [1]
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Mnesarchaeidae
Genus: Mnesarchaea
Species:
M. fallax
Binomial name
Mnesarchaea fallax
Philpott, 1927 [2]

Mnesarchaea fallax is a species of primitive moth in the family Mnesarchaeidae. It is endemic to New Zealand. This species is found in the Taranaki, Taupo, Nelson and Buller regions. It lives in a variety of habitats such as beech forest clearings, native podocarp forest, red tussock grasslands as well as in flax wetlands and at higher altitudes of up to 1300m. Much of the life history of this species is unknown and as at 2021 the host plants of this species have yet to be confirmed. The adult moths are on the wing from October to December. This species is classified as "Not Threatened" by the Department of Conservation.

Contents

Taxonomy

Mount Arthur, the type locality of M. fallax Mount Arthur (New Zealand) 117.jpg
Mount Arthur, the type locality of M. fallax

This species was described by Alfred Philpott in 1927 using specimens collected at Mount Arthur tableland at 1400m in December. [2] [3] George Hudson discussed the species in 1928 in his book The Butterflies and Moths of New Zealand. [4] The holotype specimen is held at the New Zealand Arthropod Collection. [5]

Description

Philpott described the species as follows:

♂ 10 mm. Head, palpi and antennae bronzy-brown. Thorax and abdomen purplish-brown. Legs greyish-fuscous. Forewings lanceolate, costa moderately arched; bronzy-brown; a white triangular spot with a few white scales above it on tornus; a few white scales beneath costa at 4⁄5 and along termen: fringes bronzy-brown. white on tornus. Hindwings fuscous with purplish-violet sheen apically: fringes greyish-fuscous. [3]

This species is very similar in appearance to M. fusca but differs by being slightly larger in size and narrower of wing. [4] It is very similar in appearance to a caddisfly. [6] M. fallax can be distinguished from moths with a similar appearance as it has small white markings on its forewings. [6]

Distribution

This species is endemic to New Zealand. [7] [8] It is found in the Taranaki, Taupo, Nelson and Buller regions. [6] Along with its type locality, this species has been collected at Ruapehu & Mount Taranaki as well as from Nelson to Lewis Pass. [9] [10]

Habitat

This species has been found in a variety of habitats such as beech forest clearings, native podocarp forest, red tussock grasslands as well as in flax wetlands and at higher altitudes of up to 1300m. [6]

Biology and behaviour

This species is on the wing from October to December. [6] This flight season does not appear to overlap with its close relations M. fusca or M. hudsoni . [6] It is a day flying moth that is not attracted to light. [9] This species is often found near water. [6]

Life history and host species

Much of the life history of this species is unknown. [6] It has been speculated that the larval host plants may be lichen but larvae purported to be M. fallax have been collected from periphyton. [6]

Conservation status

This species has been classified as "Not Threatened" under the New Zealand Threat Classification System. [1]

Related Research Articles

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Mnesarchaea is a genus of "New Zealand primitive moths" in the family Mnesarchaeidae. This genus is endemic to New Zealand.

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<i>Mnesarchella acuta</i> Moth species in family Mnesarchaeidae

Mnesarchella acuta is a species of primitive moths in the family Mnesarchaeidae. It was described by Alfred Philpott in 1929, and is endemic to New Zealand. It is found in the Rangitikei, Wellington, Marlborough Sounds, Nelson, Buller, Westland, Kaikōura and north Canterbury regions. It is very similar in appearance to M. hamadelpha. This species lives in a variety of damp habitats in forests or near waterways that are not exposed to all day sunlight and can be found at altitudes ranging from sea-level up to 900 m. Adults are day flying and are on the wing from October to January.

<i>Mnesarchaea fusca</i> Moth species in family Mnesarchaeidae

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<i>Mnesarchella loxoscia</i> Moth species in family Mnesarchaeidae

Mnesarchella loxoscia is a species of primitive moth in the family Mnesarchaeidae. It is endemic to New Zealand. and is found in the Northland, Auckland, Coromandel, Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Taranaki, Taupo, Gisborne, Rangitikei, Wellington and the Marlborough Sounds regions. Adults of this species are normally on the wing from December and January but can be on the wing as early as October.

<i>Mnesarchella hamadelpha</i> Moth species in family Mnesarchaeidae

Mnesarchella hamadelpha is a species of primitive moth in the family Mnesarchaeidae. It is endemic to New Zealand and is found in the Wellington, Marlborough Sounds, Marlborough and Nelson regions. It is frequently found at altitudes of between 800 and 1400m but can be found as low as approximately 400 m. It is often found in damp moss covered but well lit native forest. This species is very similar in appearance to M. acuta. However although M. hamadelpha is present in the same locations as M. acuta, it is usually found at higher altitudes or at later times in the year. Adults are on the wing from November to February.

<i>Mnesarchaea paracosma</i> Moth species in family Mnesarchaeidae

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<i>Archyala opulenta</i> Species of moth endemic to New Zealand

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<i>Archyala lindsayi</i> Species of moth

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

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

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<i>Mnesarchaea hudsoni</i> Moth species in family Mnesarchaeidae

Mnesarchaea hudsoni is a species of primitive moths in the family Mnesarchaeidae. This species was first described by George William Gibbs in 2019, and is endemic to New Zealand. It is found in the Auckland, Coromandel, Bay of Plenty, Taupo, Gisborne, Hawkes Bay, Wairarapa and Wellington regions. This species inhabits cool, damp parts of native forest or lives alongside waterways and can be found at altitudes ranging from sea-level up to 800 m. Adults of this species are on the wing from February to April. M. hudsoni is very similar in appearance to its near relatives M. fusca and M. fallax but can be distinguished via differences in male genitalia.

<i>Mnesarchella dugdalei</i> Moth species in family Mnesarchaeidae

Mnesarchella dugdalei is a species of primitive moths in the family Mnesarchaeidae. This species was first described by George William Gibbs in 2019, and is endemic to New Zealand. This species can be found in the Auckland, Coromandel, Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Taranaki, Taupō, Gisborne and Hawke's Bay regions. M. dugdalei lives in damp but well lit forest sites at altitudes of between 200 m and 1300 m. Adults of this species are on the wing from October to December.

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). New Zealand Threat Classification Series. 20: 9.
  2. 1 2 "Mnesarchaea fallax Philpott, 1927". www.nzor.org.nz. Landcare Research New Zealand Ltd. Retrieved 2018-05-29.
  3. 1 2 Philpott, A. (1927). "N.Z. Lepidoptera: notes and descriptions". Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute. 57: 703–709.
  4. 1 2 Hudson, G. V. (1928). The Butterflies and Moths of New Zealand. Wellington: Ferguson & Osborn Ltd. p. 367.
  5. ↑ Dugdale, J. S. (1988). "Lepidoptera-annotated catalogue, and keys to family-group taxa" (PDF). Fauna of New Zealand. 14: 1–264 – via Landcare Research New Zealand Ltd.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 George W. Gibbs; Niels Peder Kristensen (28 May 2019). Mnesarchaeidae (Insecta: Lepidoptera: Hepialoidea) (PDF). pp. 40–41. doi:10.7931/J2/FNZ.78. ISBN   978-0-947525-60-6. ISSN   0111-5383. Wikidata   Q104802925. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 February 2021.{{cite book}}: |journal= ignored (help)
  7. ↑ Gordon, Dennis P., ed. (2010). New Zealand Inventory of Biodiversity. Volume two. Kingdom Animalia: Chaetognatha, Ecdysozoa, Ichnofossils. Vol. 2. Christchurch, N.Z.: Canterbury University Press. p. 461. ISBN   9781877257933. OCLC   973607714.
  8. ↑ "Mnesarchaea fallax Philpott, 1927". nztcs.org.nz. 2021. Retrieved 2021-08-24.
  9. 1 2 "NZTCS - Lepidoptera spreadsheet". www.doc.govt.nz. 2013. Retrieved 29 May 2018.
  10. ↑ Gibbs, G.W. (October 1989). "Local or global? Biogeography of some primitive Lepidoptera in New Zealand". New Zealand Journal of Zoology. 16 (4): 689–698. doi:10.1080/03014223.1989.10422927.
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