Pasiphila heighwayi

Pasiphila heighwayi
Holotype specimen
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Geometridae
Genus:	Pasiphila
Species:	P. heighwayi
Binomial name
Pasiphila heighwayi (Philpott, 1927) [1]
Synonyms [2]
Chloroclystis heighwayi'Philpott, 1927

Pasiphila heighwayi is a moth in the family Geometridae. ^[1] It was first described by Alfred Philpott in 1927. This species is endemic to New Zealand and has been observed on the Banks Peninsular and in North Canterbury. Larvae feed on the flowers of Veronica traversii.

Taxonomy

This species was first described by Alfred Philpott in 1927 using specimens collected at Pukeatua Bush on Banks Peninsula in Canterbury by William Heighway and Stewart Lindsay in the last week of September. ^[3] In 1928 George Hudson 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 is held at the New Zealand Arthropod Collection. ^[2]

Description

Philpott described the adult male of this species as follows:

♂. 23–24 mm. Head, thorax and abdomen greyish-pink mixed with fuscous and black. Palpi 2, fuscous-grey with some white scales above. Antennae fasciculate-ciliate, greyish-pink annulated with fuscous basally, ciliations 3½. Legs ochreous-grey, densely irrorated with fuscous, tarsi annulated with ochreous-grey. Forewings triangular, costa slightly arched basally, subsinuate at middle, apex round-pointed, termen slightly bowed; pinkish-grey densely irrorated with fuscous; veins blackish; a series of very obscure darker irregular transverse lines, here and there margined with whitish, more pronounced at 1⁄4, before 1⁄2, and 2⁄3; an indistinct serrate subterminal line, interrupted above dorsum; a black line round termen: fringes pinkish-grey with median white line and indications of dark bars. Hindwings, termen moderate, sinuate below apex and above tornus leaving a broad blunt median projection; colour as in forewings but markings still more obscure; a dark discal dot: fringes as in forewings. ^[3]

Distribution

This species is endemic to New Zealand and has been observed on the Banks Peninsular as well as in the Waitohi River shrublands in North Canterbury. ^[6] This species is regarded as being rare. ^[6]

Habitat and hosts

Larval host Veronica traversii.

The larvae feed on the flowers of Veronica traversii . ^[6]

References

1. "Pasiphila heighwayi (Philpott, 1927)". www.nzor.org.nz. Archived from the original on 2022-05-12. Retrieved 2025-08-06.
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: 188. doi:10.7931/J2/FNZ.14. ISSN   0111-5383. Wikidata   Q45083134.
3. Alfred Philpott (1927). "N.Z. Lepidoptera: notes and descriptions". Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute. 57: 704–705. ISSN   1176-6158. Wikidata   Q108109466. 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. 93, LCCN   88133764, OCLC   25449322, Wikidata   Q58593286 BHL page 61899704 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. Patrick, Brian H . (February 2012). Lepidoptera of the Waitohi River shrublands, North Canterbury (PDF) (Report). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-02-22. Retrieved 6 August 2023.