| Mnesarchella ngahuru | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Mnesarchaeidae |
| Genus: | Mnesarchella |
| Species: | M. ngahuru |
| Binomial name | |
| Mnesarchella ngahuru | |
Mnesarchella ngahuru is a species of primitive moth in the family Mnesarchaeidae. This species is endemic to New Zealand and is found in the Taupō, Gisborne and Wellington regions.
This species was first described by George William Gibbs in 2019. [1] The male holotype specimen was collected by Gibbs on the Manuoha track in Te Urewera and is held in the New Zealand Arthropod Collection. [1]
This species is very similar in appearance to its close relatives such as M. acuta , M. falcata and M. hamadelpha but can be distinguished by the shape of the male genitalia. [1] Gibbs describes the colour of the male forewings as follows:
Forewing 3.6–4.1 mm; dark-brown costal streak very broad with broad apex which is continuous with oblique anal fascia, basal area ochreous-white, grading to pale orange-brown toward dorsum; median costal patch ochreous-white, clearly defined; a patch of intense white scales in centre of median area; subapical area orange-brown, often suffused with ochreous scales. [1]
Although occurring in the same range as M. loxoscia and M. falcata, adults of M. ngahuru are normally on the wing at a later time. [1]
This species is endemic to New Zealand. [2] It is found in the Taupō, Gisborne and Wellington regions. [1]
This species lives in damp but well-lit forests at altitudes of between 350 and 1100 m. [1]
The adults of this species appear later in the season in comparison to its close relatives being on the wing from December to March. [1]
Mnesarchaeoidea is a superfamily of "New Zealand primitive moths" containing one family, Mnesarchaeidae, and a two genera, Mnesarchaea and Mnesarchella, both of which are endemic to New Zealand.
Zealandopterix zonodoxa is a moth of the family Micropterigidae. It endemic to New Zealand and is found from the Hawkes Bay north as well as on Poor Knights, Little Barrier and Great Barrier Islands. It is the smallest micropterigid in New Zealand and the shiny white markings on the forewing of this species are variable. It is a day flying moth, but has been collected using UV light. Adults are on the wing from September to March and the species has been witnessed visiting the flowers of Nikau and Cordyline pumilio in large numbers. It inhabits a wide variety of moist indigenous forest but is associated with forests in which podocarps are common. Larvae have been sieved from rotten wood on the floor of a mixed podocarp/broadleaf forest or extracted from moss or from bryophytes.
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.
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.
Mnesarchaea fusca is a species of primitive moths in the family Mnesarchaeidae. This species was first described by Alfred Philpott in 1922, and is endemic to New Zealand. The larvae of the species is bright green when young but turns a brownish green when mature. Adults of this species are small and dark brown with patches of reddish yellow on its forewings. This species is found in Nelson and Marlborough Sounds. It inhabits poorly lit forest ravines and gullies or areas near shaded waterways. Adults are on the wing between December and February.
Mnesarchella fusilella is a species of primitive moths in the family Mnesarchaeidae. It is endemic to New Zealand and can be found in the Northland, Auckland, Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Hawke's Bay, Whanganui, and Wellington regions. It prefers well lit damp forests or moist fern-covered banks and lives at altitudes ranging from sea-level to approximately 500 m. Adults are on the wing from October to December. This species is normally day flying but males have been collected at night via light trapping.
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.
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.
Mnesarchaea paracosma is a species of primitive moths in the family Mnesarchaeidae. It is endemic to New Zealand and can be found in the Kaikōura, mid and south Canterbury, MacKenzie, Otago Lakes, Central Otago, Dunedin, Fiordland and Southland areas. M. paracosma lives in a wide variety of habitats including tussock grasslands, shrubland, and damp native beech or podocarp forests, at a range of altitudes from around sea-level up to 1200 m. Adults of this species are on the wing from October to February and are day flying, although they are attracted to light at night.
Trachypepla semilauta is a moth of the family Oecophoridae and was first described by Alfred Philpott in 1918. It is endemic to New Zealand and has been collected in Southland. This species inhabits southern beech forest on the side of mountains. Adults are on the wing in January.
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.
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.
Mnesarchella falcata is a species of primitive moth in the family Mnesarchaeidae. This species was first described by George William Gibbs in 2019, and is endemic to New Zealand. It can be found in the Waikato, Taupō, Hawke's Bay and Rangitīkei regions
Mnesarchella philpotti is a species of primitive moths in the family Mnesarchaeidae. It is endemic to New Zealand and has only be found in Fiordland. This species can be distinguished from its close relatives in the genus Mnesarchella as the patterns present on its forewing are different as is the male genitalia of this species. This species lives in southern beech forest and shrubland, where periphyton is plentiful, in the subalpine zone at altitudes of between 380 and 800 m. Adults of this species are on the wing in December.
Mnesarchella stellae is a species of primitive moths in the family Mnesarchaeidae. It is named in honour of Gibbs' mother Florence Stella Gibbs. This species is endemic to New Zealand and can only be found in the Nelson area for recording specimen localities as described by T. K. Crosby. This species is the largest in the Mnesarchella genus but otherwise is similar in appearance to other species contained in that genus. This species prefers very damp, dark native beech forest with plentiful moss and lives at altitudes of between 420 and 750 m. Adults of this species are on the wing in December and January.
Mnesarchella vulcanica is a species of primitive moths in the family Mnesarchaeidae. This species is endemic to New Zealand and can be found in the Taranaki, Taupō, Gisborne and Rangitīkei regions. It very similar in appearance to others within its genus. This species is most easily confused with M. falcata. M. vulcanica can only be distinguished by dissection and its differently shaped male genitalia. It lives in damp mountainous beech and podocarp forests at altitudes of between from 800–1400 m and is on the wing from December to February.
Tingena penthalea is a species of moth in the family Oecophoridae. It is endemic to New Zealand and has been observed in Wellington and the Tararua Range. The adults of this species are on the wing from December until February.
Dasyuris fulminea is a species of moth in the family Geometridae. It was first described by Alfred Philpott and is endemic to New Zealand. It has been observed in the regions of the West Coast, Fiordland and Otago. Adults are day flying and are on the wing from December until February.
Helastia cymozeucta is a moth of the family Geometridae. It was first described by Edward Meyrick in 1913. This species is endemic to New Zealand and is found in both the North and the upper parts of the South Island. The adults of this species have been observed on the wing from November to January as well as in March.
Chrysorthenches phyllocladi is a species of moth in the family Plutellidae. It was first described by John S. Dugdale in 1996. It is endemic to New Zealand and has been observed in both the North and South Islands. The larvae of this species feed on Phyllocladus alpinus. Adults have been observed on the wing in February, April and November.