Pasiphila furva

Pasiphila furva
Male
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Geometridae
Genus:	Pasiphila
Species:	P. furva
Binomial name
Pasiphila furva (Philpott, 1917) [1]
Synonyms [2]
Chloroclystis furvaPhilpott, 1917

Pasiphila furva is a species of moth of the family Geometridae. ^[1] It was first described by Alfred Philpott in 1917. This species is endemic to New Zealand and has been observed in the Fiordland region. This species inhabits subalpine scrub and are said to be associated with Veronica odora. Adult moths are on the wing in January.

Taxonomy

This species was first described by Alfred Philpott in 1917 and originally named Chloroclystis furva using specimens collected in Mount Cleughearn at 3,200ft. ^[3] In 1928 George Hudson illustrated and discussed this species under that name in his book The butterflies and moths of New Zealand. ^[4] In 1971 John S. Dugdale placed this species in the genus Pasiphila. ^[5] The male holotype, collected by Philpott at Mount Cleughearn in the Hunter Mountains, is held at the New Zealand Arthropod Collection. ^[2]

Description

Male holotype of P. furva.

Philpott originally described this species as follows:

♂. 17-20 mm. Head, palpi, thorax, and abdomen dark reddish-brown whitish, in ♂ ciliate-fasciculate, ciliations 4. Forewings triangular, costa slightly sinuate, apex obtuse, termen angulated at middle, subsinuate beneath ; dark dull-reddish-brown ; numerous obscure bluish-green and, black transverse lines ; upper half o: second line frequently more prominently greenish and followed by a rather broad reddish band ; a thin waved bluish-green subterminal line usually present : cilia fuscous-grey, suffusedly barred and mixed with darker. Hind wings in ♂ slightly but broadly projecting on middle of termen ; dark greyish-fuscous ; veins dotted with whitish scales ; dorsal fasciae hardly indicated : cilia as in forewings. ^[3]

Distribution

This species is endemic to New Zealand. ^[1] This species has been observed in the Fiordland region. ^{[6] [7]}

Habitat and hosts

Veronica odora in the Fiordland National Park.

This species inhabits subalpine scrub and is said to be associated with Veronica odora . ^[4]

Behaviour

Adults are on the wing in January. ^{[4] [8]}

References

1. "Pasiphila furva (Philpott, 1917)". NZOR. 2025. Retrieved 6 August 2025.
2. Dugdale , J. S. (23 September 1988). "Lepidoptera - annotated catalogue, and keys to family-group taxa". Fauna of New Zealand. 14. Department of Scientific and Industrial Research: 187. doi:10.7931/J2/FNZ.14. ISSN   0111-5383. Wikidata   Q45083134.
3. Alfred Philpott (December 1917). "Art. XIII. - Descriptions of new species of Lepidoptera". Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute. 49: 239–240. ISSN   1176-6158. Wikidata   Q108312592. BHL page 3313102 This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain .
4. Hudson, G. V. (1928), The butterflies and moths of New Zealand, Illustrator: George Hudson, Wellington: Ferguson and Osborn Limited, p. 94, LCCN   88133764, OCLC   25449322, Wikidata   Q58593286 BHL page 61899705 This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain .
5. Dugdale, J. S. (10 November 1971). "Entomology of the Aucklands and other islands south of New Zealand: Lepidoptera, excluding non-crambine Pyralidae". Pacific Insects Monographs . 27: 106. ISSN   0078-7515. Wikidata   Q64006453.
6. George Vernon Hudson (1939), A supplement to the butterflies and moths of New Zealand, Illustrator: George Hudson, Wellington: Ferguson and Osborn Limited, p. 405, OCLC   9742724, Wikidata   Q109420935
7. W George Howes (1943). "Lepidoptera Collecting at the Homer. With Descriptions of Two New Species" (PDF). Transactions and Proceedings of the Royal Society of New Zealand . 73: 90–96. ISSN   1176-6166. Wikidata   Q89182730.
8. "Pasiphila furva (Philpott, 1917)". www.gbif.org. Retrieved 2025-08-06.