Physetica funerea

Physetica funerea
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Superfamily:	Noctuoidea
Family:	Noctuidae
Genus:	Physetica
Species:	P. funerea
Binomial name
	Physetica funerea; (Philpott, 1927)
Synonyms
	Aletia funereaPhilpott, 1927 ;

Last updated October 31, 2022

Physetica funerea is a species of moth of the family Noctuidae. It is endemic to New Zealand and is found only in the western and central parts of the South Island. This species inhabits shrubland in the subalpine and alpine zones. The life history of this species is unknown as are the larval host species. Adults of this species are on the wing from October to February. This species is almost identical to P. cucullina with the only difference between the two species being the structure of the male antennae. P. funerea is also similar in appearance to P. sequens , but the latter species tends to have a prominently underlined kidney-shaped mark nearer to the outer edge of the forewing.

Taxonomy

This species was first described by Alfred Philpott in 1927 and named Aletia funerea.^[2] In 1928 George Hudson synonymised this name with the species now known as Physetica cucullina.^[3] In 2017 Robert Hoare undertook a review of New Zealand Noctuinae and reinstated this species in the genus Physetica.^[1] The female holotype specimen was collected at Mount Arthur tableland by Philpott and is held at the New Zealand Arthropod Collection.^[1]

Description

Philpott originally described this species as follows:

♀ 37 mm. Head grey with a broad blackish longitudinal stripe on each side of median pale line. Palpi grey, third segment thin, moderately long and very slightly swollen towards apex. Antennae brown, mixed with grey on basal half. Thorax grey with a A-shaped fuscous mark. Abdomen pale fuscous. Legs fuscous grey, tarsi annulated with blackish. Forewings, costa almost straight, apex rectangular, termen very little oblique, rounded beneath; whitish-grey; markings black or blackish-fuscous; an interrupted double angled line near base; a similar line at ¼, connecting with median band in disc; a broad median band (its posterior margin indistinctly serrate) enclosing orbicular; orbicular well-defined, grey, suboval; reniform rather small but of normal shape; a subterminal band, broadly interrupted above and below middle; a series of semicircular dots round termen: fringes greyish-brown with some white scales. Hindwings fuscous: fringes fuscous, apical half white. The form of the palpi shows this species to be allied to the longstaffi group, but it is a larger and more definitely marked insect.^[2]

The wingspan of the adult male is between 32 and 41 mm whereas the female is between 38 and 40 mm.^[1] This species is almost identical to P. cucullina with the only difference between the two species being the male antenna.^[1] The male antennae of P. funerea have indistinct appressed ciliations where as P. cucullina have distinct erect ciliation.^[1]P. funerea can appear similar to specimens of P. sequens, but the later species tends to have a prominently underlined kidney-shaped mark nearer to the outer edge of the forewing, in contrast to P. sequens.^[1]

Distribution

P. funerea is endemic to New Zealand and is found only in the western and central parts of the South Island.^[4]^[1]

Habitat

This species inhabits shrubland in the subalpine and alpine zones.^[1]

Behaviour

Adults of this species are on the wing from October to February.^[1]

Life history and host plants

The life history of this species is unknown as are the larval host species.^[1]

Related Research Articles

Physetica is a genus of moths of the family Noctuidae. This genus is endemic to New Zealand.

Pasiphila acompsa is a moth in the family Geometridae. It was described by Louis Beethoven Prout in 1927. It is endemic to New Zealand and has been observed in mountainous locations in both the North and South Islands. Larvae of this species have been reared on plants within the Veronica genus. Adults are on the wing from December to February.

Ichneutica lithias is a moth of the family Noctuidae. This species is endemic to New Zealand. It is a small moth but distinctive as a result of the markings on its forewings. Although this species is widespread in the South Island, it has only been collected in the Rangipo Desert in the North Island. The species prefers habitat that is scrubland ranging in altitude from coastal to alpine. Adults are on the wing from October to April and larvae have been collected and reared on the New Zealand endemic plant species Melicytus alpinus.

Ichneutica petrograpta is a moth of the family Noctuidae. This species is endemic to New Zealand where it is found in the southwest districts of the South Island, including Westland, Otago Lakes and Fiordland. It is very similar in appearance to I. mutans. It inhabits tussock and shrubland in the alpine to subalpine zones. Adults of I. petrograpta are on the wing from December to February and are attracted to sugar traps. The life history of this species is unknown as are the host species of its larvae.

Physetica phricias is a moth of the family Noctuidae. It is endemic to New Zealand. It is wide spread in the South Island and inhabits shrubland. The host of the larvae of this species is matagouri. The adult moths are on the wing from September to May and July, and are attracted both to light and sugar traps.They are a faster-flying species and remain active even during windy conditions. P. phricias can be confused with some forms of P. sequens. However P. phricias can be distinguished as it has a less marbled appearance to its forewing.

Ichneutica similis is a moth of the family Noctuidae. It is endemic to New Zealand. This species is found only in certain parts of the North Island, in the western side of the South Island and on Stewart Island. It inhabits peatlands as well as inland and coastal wetlands. The life history of this species is unknown and the host species of its larvae has yet to be confirmed. It has been hypothesised that larval host species might be within the Empodisma genus as well as possibly the species Apodasmia similis.

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Anisoplaca fraxinea is a species of moth of the family Gelechiidae. It was described by Alfred Philpott in 1928 and is endemic to New Zealand. It has been observed in the South Island and adults are on the wing in February and March.

Trachypepla nimbosa is a species of moth in the family Oecophoridae. It is endemic to New Zealand. This species has been collected in Auckland as well as one specimen in the West Coast. Adults are on the wing in January however the West Coast specimen was collected in November. This species is classified as "Data Deficient" by the Department of Conservation.

Ichneutica panda is a species of moth in the family Noctuidae. It is endemic to New Zealand and only found in central and southern parts of the South Island. The species has not been collected in Canterbury since the late 1950s and has not been seen at The Wilderness scientific reserve since 1941. This species is similar in appearance to Ichneutica falsidica however I. panda lack or have indistinct black dashes on their edge of their hindwings. I. panda inhabit shrubland from alpine zones down to river terraces and adults are on the wing between December to February. The life history of this species is unknown as is the host species of the larvae.

Trachypepla festiva is a moth of the family Oecophoridae and was first described by Alfred Philpott in 1930. It is endemic to New Zealand and has been collected in the northern parts of the North Island.

Physetica cucullina is a species of moth of the family Noctuidae. It is endemic to New Zealand and can be found throughout the South Island, apart from in the Nelson district with the exception of the St Arnaud Range where it is present. It is likely to be also resident in Stewart Island. P. cucullina lives in shrubland at subalpine and alpine zones but can occur at sea-level in the more southern regions. The life history of this species is poorly documented. There is only one known record in the New Zealand Arthropod Collection of the larvae of this species having been reared. These larvae were reared on Leucopogon fraseri. Adults of this species is on the wing from October to March and are attracted to light. P. cucullina is almost identical in appearance to P. funerea. The only reliable distinguishing feature between the two species is the antennae of the male. P. cucullina is also very similar in appearance to P. sequens but P. sequens lacks the narrow black line on the forewing dorsum area that can be present on the forewings of P. cucullina.

Physetica longstaffi is a species of moth of the family Noctuidae. It is endemic to New Zealand and found in the North and South Islands. This species lives in open habitats and shrublands, at altitudes ranging from the low alpine zone down to sea-level. As at 2017 the biology of this species is in need of further investigation as there is no published description of the larvae of this species nor have larval specimens been preserved in collections. There is also confusion over the possible larval host plants for this species. This species is on the wing from February to May. There is also a record from the North Cape in December. The adults of this species is attracted to light. P. longstaffi might possibly be confused with P. sequens or P. phricias. However unlike both P. sequens and P. phricias, P. longstaffi has a large oval mark near the centre of the forewing. Other distinguishing features include further differences in the colouration of the forewings of P. longstaffi as well as differences in the third labial palp segment of the male and differences in the shape of the male genitalia.

Physetica sequens is a species of moth of the family Noctuidae. It is endemic to New Zealand and can be found throughout the North and South Islands. It appears to be more common in the North Island than the South Island, and lives in open native shrublands, peatlands, Northland gumland, inland volcanic dunes, and Dracophyllum-dominated areas at altitudes that range from sea level to the alpine zone, up to at least 1600 m. Larvae of this species have been successfully reared on Leucopogon fasciculatus and Leptecophylla juniperina. The adults of this species are variable in appearance and are on the wing from September to March. P. sequens is similar in appearance to P. phricias but can be distinguished as P. phricias has a narrow black line along the dorsum of its forewing that P. sequens does not. P. sequens is also similar in appearance to P. cucullina however the forewing dorsum area of P. sequens does not have the narrow black line that is frequently present on P. cucullina forewings.

Tingena clarkei is a species of moth in the family Oecophoridae. It is endemic to New Zealand and has been observed in the North and South Island. This species is on the wing from November until February and inhabits open scrubland or native forest. This species is similar in appearance to Trachypepla photinella.

Tingena honesta is a species of moth in the family Oecophoridae. It is endemic to New Zealand and can be found in the South Island.

Tingena opaca is a species of moth in the family Oecophoridae. It is endemic to New Zealand and has been observed in the southern parts of the South Island. Adults of this species are on the wing in December.

Meterana badia is a species of moth in the family Noctuidae. This species is endemic to New Zealand.

Trachypepla angularis is a species of moth in the family Oecophoridae. It is endemic to New Zealand and has been collected at Lake Rotoroa in the Nelson Lakes National Park in January. This species inhabits mixed native forest.

References

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Robert J. B. Hoare (23 June 2017). Illustrator: Birgit E. Rhode. "Noctuinae (Insecta: Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) part 1: Austramathes, Cosmodes, Proteuxoa, Physetica" (PDF). Fauna of New Zealand. Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research. 73: 48–49. doi:10.7931/J2/FNZ.73. ISSN 0111-5383. OCLC 1002177011. Wikidata Q44893580.
1 2 Alfred Philpott (1927). "N.Z. Lepidoptera: notes and descriptions". Transactions and Proceedings of the Royal Society of New Zealand . 57: 703–704. ISSN 1176-6166. Wikidata Q108109466.
↑ George Vernon Hudson (1928), The butterflies and moths of New Zealand, Illustrator: George Hudson, Wellington, p. 58, OCLC 25449322, Wikidata Q58593286
↑ "NZOR Name Details - Physetica funerea (Philpott, 1927)". www.nzor.org.nz. Retrieved 29 August 2021.

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[Hoare2017-1] 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Robert J. B. Hoare (23 June 2017). Illustrator: Birgit E. Rhode. "Noctuinae (Insecta: Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) part 1: Austramathes, Cosmodes, Proteuxoa, Physetica" (PDF). Fauna of New Zealand. Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research. 73: 48–49. doi:10.7931/J2/FNZ.73. ISSN 0111-5383. OCLC 1002177011. Wikidata Q44893580.

[Philpott1927-2] 1 2 Alfred Philpott (1927). "N.Z. Lepidoptera: notes and descriptions". Transactions and Proceedings of the Royal Society of New Zealand . 57: 703–704. ISSN 1176-6166. Wikidata Q108109466.

[Hudson1928-3] George Vernon Hudson (1928), The butterflies and moths of New Zealand, Illustrator: George Hudson, Wellington, p. 58, OCLC 25449322, Wikidata Q58593286

[4] "NZOR Name Details - Physetica funerea (Philpott, 1927)". www.nzor.org.nz. Retrieved 29 August 2021.

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