| Musotima nitidalis | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Crambidae |
| Genus: | Musotima |
| Species: | M. nitidalis |
| Binomial name | |
| Musotima nitidalis | |
| Synonyms | |
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Musotima nitidalis, also known as the golden brown fern moth, is a species of moth of the family Crambidae. This species was described by Francis Walker in 1866. It is native to Australia and New Zealand and was first found in Europe in 2009.
The larvae of this species are pale green with a transparent skin and a dark head. [2] Adults are brown with various white markings outlined in black on each forewing. [3]
In Australia and New Zealand the larvae feed on the undersides of the fronds of various Polypodiophyta species, including common maidenhair fern ( Adiantum aethiopicum ), Austral bracken ( Pteridium esculentum ), and bat's wing fern ( Histiopteris incisa ) and lives in a sparse web. [2] Larvae were first found in England in 2013, near Hern, Dorset and so far have been found feeing on bracken ( Pteridium aquilinum ), broad-buckler fern ( Dryopteris dilatata ) and hard fern ( Blechnum spicant ). [4]
It is known from New Zealand and most of Australia, including Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria and Western Australia. In 2009 the moth was found at Merritown Heath, Hurn, Dorset and since then across southern England to Norfolk. It is suspected to have been introduced from imported tree ferns. [4]
Bracken (Pteridium) is a genus of large, coarse ferns in the family Dennstaedtiaceae. Ferns (Pteridophyta) are vascular plants that have alternating generations, large plants that produce spores and small plants that produce sex cells. Brackens are noted for their large, highly divided leaves. They are found on all continents except Antarctica and in all environments except deserts, though their typical habitat is moorland. The genus probably has the widest distribution of any fern in the world.
The light brown apple moth is a leafroller moth belonging to the lepidopteran family Tortricidae.
The orange swift or orange moth is a moth belonging to the family Hepialidae. The species was first described by Carl Linnaeus in 1761 and was previously placed in the genus Hepialus. It is distributed throughout Europe.
The map-winged swift is a moth belonging to the family Hepialidae and has a patchy distribution throughout Eurasia. The species was first described by Charles De Geer in 1778. It was previously placed in the genus Hepialus and some references still place it there.
Petrophora chlorosata, the brown silver-line, is a moth of the family Geometridae found in Asia and Europe. The larvae feed on bracken. It was first described by the Italian physician and naturalist, Giovanni Antonio Scopoli in his 1763 Entomologia Carniolica.
The hemlock moth, also known as the defoliating hemlock moth or poison hemlock moth, is a nocturnal moth species of the family Depressariidae. Of Palaearctic origin, it was first found in North America in 1973 when it was accidentally introduced. The moth is now widespread throughout the northern half of the United States, southern Canada, northern Europe, and, more recently, New Zealand and Australia. The larval form grows to around 10 mm, while the adults wingspan is between 17 mm and 19 mm.
The black-lyre leafroller moth is a tortrix moth species of the family Tortricidae.
Diarsia intermixta, also known as the orange peel moth, is a species of moth in the family Noctuidae. It is found from Queensland to Tasmania in Australia, as well as in New Zealand, and islands in the south Pacific.
Sarisa is a monotypic moth genus in the family Geometridae and was first described by David Stephen Fletcher in 1979. The genus contains only one species, Sarisa muriferata, the hook-tip fern looper, which is endemic to New Zealand and surrounding islands. This species was described by Francis Walker in 1862. It is widespread in the North and South Islands, and has been recorded from Stewart Island, Big South Cape Island, the Chatham Islands and the Auckland Islands.
Pteridium esculentum, commonly known as bracken fern, Austral bracken or simply bracken, is a species of the bracken genus native to a number of countries in the Southern Hemisphere. Esculentum means edible. First described as Pteris esculenta by German botanist Georg Forster in 1786, it gained its current binomial name in 1908. The Eora people of the Sydney region knew it as gurgi.
Calochlaena dubia, commonly known as soft bracken, false bracken, common ground fern or rainbow fern, is a small Australian fern in the treefern family Dicksoniaceae. It is very common within its range, and often seen growing under eucalyptus forest, often on the poorer quality soils. It is an easy plant to grow in the garden.
Rhapsa scotosialis, the slender owlet moth, is a moth of the family Noctuidae. This species is endemic to New Zealand and is found throughout the country. It is regarded as one of the most common forest moths found in New Zealand. The larval host species for R. scotosialis is Piper excelsum.
Sestra humeraria, also known as huarau looper, is a species of moth in the family Geometridae. It was described by Francis Walker in 1861. This species is endemic to New Zealand.
Calicotis crucifera, the leather-leaf spore-eater, is a moth of the Stathmopodidae family. It is found in New Zealand and Australia.
Apoctena clarkei, also known as the umbrella fern bell moth, is a species of moth of the family Tortricidae. It is found in New Zealand, where it is only found on the North Island.
Musotima aduncalis, also known as the maidenhair fairy moth, is a moth in the family Crambidae. It was described by Cajetan Felder, Rudolf Felder and Alois Friedrich Rogenhofer in 1875. This species is endemic to New Zealand.
Chalastra pellurgata, also known as the brown fern moth or the pale fern looper, is a moth of the family Geometridae. This species was first described by Francis Walker in 1862. It is endemic to New Zealand and can be found throughout the country. It inhabits native forest. This species is extremely variable both in its larval and adult life stage. Larvae of this species are active during spring and summer. They feed on the fronds of fern species. C. pellurgata pupates by forming a thin cocoon on the soil amongst leaf litter and moss. Adults are on the wing throughout the year but are most common from September to March. During the day adult moths can be observed resting on dead fern fronds. They become active from dusk and are attracted to light.
Psychoides verhuella is a moth of the family Tineidae found in Europe. It was first described in 1853, by Charles Théophile Bruand d'Uzelle from a specimen from Besançon, France. It is the type species of the genus Psychoides, also raised by Charles Bruand in 1853. The larvae feed on ferns.
Ischalis gallaria, the striped fern looper, is a species of moth in the family Geometridae. It was first described by Francis Walker in 1860. This species is endemic to New Zealand.
Sestra flexata, also known as the common fern looper, is a species of moth in the family Geometridae. This species is endemic to New Zealand.