Orthenches chartularia

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Orthenches chartularia
Orthenches chartularia holotype.jpg
Male holotype
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Phylum:
Class:
Order:
Family:
Genus:
Species:
O. chartularia
Binomial name
Orthenches chartularia
Meyrick, 1924 [1]
Synonyms [2]
  • Orthenches nivalisPhilpott, 1927

Orthenches chartularia is a moth of the family Plutellidae first described by Edward Meyrick in 1924. [1] It is endemic to New Zealand and can be found in the North and South Islands. This species inhabits open grassy areas in native subalpine forest. Adults are on the wing in January and February.

Contents

Taxonomy

This species was first described by Edward Meyrick in 1924 and named Orthenches chartularia using a male specimen collected in January at Mount Ruapehu at 4,000 ft. by George Hudson. [3] In 1927 Alfred Philpott, believing he was describing a new species, described this species and named it Orthenches nivalis. [4] Philpott used a specimen collected at Arthur's Pass in February. [4] George Hudson discussed and illustrated this species in his 1928 book The butterflies and moths of New Zealand. [5] Philpott corrected his error in 1931, synonymising O. nivalis with O. chartularia. [6] The male holotype specimen is held at the Natural History Museum, London. [2]

Description

Illustration by George Hudson. Fig 25 MA I437911 TePapa Plate-L-The-butterflies full (cropped).jpg
Illustration by George Hudson.

Meyrick described this species as follows:

♂. 16 mm. Head and thorax whitish. Palpi dark grey, tips of second and terminal joints white. Forewings elongate, apex obtuse-pointed, termen slightly rounded, rather strongly oblique; whitish, irregularly strewn with dark-fuscous strigulae partially mixed with grey suffusion; four small dark-fuscous spots on costa from before middle to 56, and four somewhat larger in a median longitudinal series from 13 to 56; four dark-fuscous dots on posterior half of dorsum: cilia whitish, a grey basal shade, at apex a grey bar. Hindwings grey-whitish; cilia whitish. [3]

Hudson pointed out that this species is variable in the intensity and extent of the black markings on its forewings. [5]

Distribution and habitat

This species is endemic to New Zealand and can be found in the North and South Islands. [7] The preferred habitat of this species is open grassy areas in native subalpine forest. [5]

Behaviour

Adults of this species are on the wing in January and February. [4] [5]

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References

  1. 1 2 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.
  2. 1 2 John Stewart Dugdale (23 September 1988). "Lepidoptera - annotated catalogue, and keys to family-group taxa" (PDF). Fauna of New Zealand. Department of Scientific and Industrial Research. 14: 73. doi:10.7931/J2/FNZ.14. ISSN   0111-5383. Wikidata   Q45083134. Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 July 2021.
  3. 1 2 Edward Meyrick (30 September 1924). "Notes and Descriptions of New Zealand Lepidoptera". Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute. 55: 205–206. ISSN   1176-6158. Wikidata   Q65974639.
  4. 1 2 3 Alfred Philpott (15 August 1927). "Notes and Descriptions of New Zealand Lepidoptera". Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute. 58: 89. ISSN   1176-6158. Wikidata   Q107580217.
  5. 1 2 3 4 George Vernon Hudson (1928), The butterflies and moths of New Zealand, Illustrator: George Hudson, Wellington, p. 328, OCLC   25449322, Wikidata   Q58593286
  6. Alfred Philpott (1931). "Notes and descriptions of New Zealand Lepidoptera". Transactions and Proceedings of the Royal Society of New Zealand . 62: 34. ISSN   1176-6166. Wikidata   Q109466059.
  7. "Orthenches chartularia Meyrick, 1924". www.nzor.org.nz. Retrieved 2022-05-03.