Reductoderces cawthronella

Last updated

Reductoderces cawthronella
Fig 9 MA I437909 TePapa Plate-XLVIII-The-butterflies full (cropped).jpg
Illustration of male
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Phylum:
Class:
Order:
Family:
Genus:
Species:
R. cawthronella
Binomial name
Reductoderces cawthronella
(Philpott, 1921) [1]
Synonyms [2]
  • Taleporia cawthronellaPhilpott, 1921

Reductoderces cawthronella is a moth of the Psychidae family. [1] It was described by Alfred Philpott in 1921 and named in honour of the Cawthron Institute. It is endemic to New Zealand and has been collected in Nelson on the Maitai Valley side of the Botanical Hill. The larvae inhabits a fragile, pear shaped case and it has been hypothesised that they are lichen or alga browsers. Larvae pupate at the end of June and adults emerge at the beginning of August until the middle of October.

Contents

Taxonomy

Cawthron Institute Cawthron MRD.jpg
Cawthron Institute

This species was first described by Alfred Philpott in 1921, using adult moths reared from larvae collected on the Maitai Valley side of Botanical Hill in Nelson, and named Taleporia cawthronella. [3] [2] Philpott named this species in honour of the Cawthron Institute as this species was the first to be reared at its insectarium. [3] This species was illustrated and discussed in 1928 by George Hudson using the name Taleporia cawthronella. [4] In 1972 J. S. Dugdale placed this species in the genus Reductoderces. [5] This placement was confirmed by Dugdale in 1988. [2] The male holotype is held in the New Zealand Arthropod Collection. [2]

Description

Philpott described the adults of this species as follows:

♂. 9 mm. Head and thorax ochreous-grey Palpi whitish. Antennae grey annulated with black, ciliations 3. Abdomen grey-fuscous. Legs grey-whitish. Forewings, costa slightly arched, faintly sinuate, apex rounded, termen strongly oblique; whitish-grey, slightly ochreous and irrorated with fuscous especially on basal ¾; base of costa irregularly brownish-black to ¼; a rather large brownish-black spot on costa at ½; three smaller brownish-black spots on costa on apical ⅓; an irregular transverse brownish-black discal spot; a series of small blackish-brown spots round termen: cilia grey-whitish. Hindwings and cilia fuscous-grey. [3]

The larva inhabits a fragile case which is pear shaped and is approximately 6mm long and 3.5 mm wide. [3] Hudson described the larvae of this species as follows:

The head of the pupa is well separated from the thorax, and the legs reach quite to the extremity of the abdomen. On the dorsal surface of the last abdominal segment there is a transverse row of stout recurved spines; these probably serve to keep the pupa from slipping from the case when the emergence of the imago is taking place. [4]

Distribution

Centre of New Zealand, Nelson, type locality of R. cawthronella. Centre of New Zealand, Nelson.jpg
Centre of New Zealand, Nelson, type locality of R. cawthronella.

This species is endemic to New Zealand. [6] It has been collected in Nelson. [4]

Hosts

It has been hypothesised that larvae in this genus are lichen or alga-browsers. [2]

Behaviour and life cycle

The larvae inhabit a case made from fragments of a white lichen. [2] It travels in the case by extending its head and throax and then lifting the case clear and forward. [2] The larvae pupate at the end of June by attaching its case to a stone, twig or leaf. [2] The attachment enables the case to swing in multiple directions. [2] The adults emerge from the beginning of August until the middle of October. [2]

Related Research Articles

<i>Asterivora colpota</i> Species of moth

Asterivora colpota is a moth in the family Choreutidae. It was first described by Edward Meyrick in 1911. It is endemic to New Zealand and is found throughout the North and South Islands. It is regarded as a lowland species and adults are on the wing from November until March. This moth has been collected by beating shrubs.

<i>Izatha apodoxa</i> Species of moth

Izatha apodoxa is a moth of the family Oecophoridae. It is endemic to New Zealand, where it is known from scattered localities in the southern North Island. This species is variable in appearance and comes in two forms, a grey form and a black and white form. In the grey form it is very similar in appearance to I. notodoxa and in the black and white form to I. katadiktya. At present the larvae and biology of this species is unknown.

<i>Heterocrossa gonosemana</i> Species of moth

Heterocrossa gonosemana is a species of moth in the family Carposinidae. It is endemic to New Zealand.

<i>Isonomeutis amauropa</i> Species of moth, endemic to New Zealand

Isonomeutis amauropa is a species of moth in the Copromorphidae family. It is endemic to New Zealand where it can be found on both the North and South Islands. I. amauropa inhabits native forest particularly forest dominated by Rimu and native beech trees. The larvae of this species consumes margarodid scale insects that live under the bark of these trees. When mature the larvae pupate in a cocoon made of silk and covered in twigs and frass. This cocoon is normally placed under the bark of the same tree the larvae inhabited. Adults of I. amauropa are on the wing from September to February.

<i>Amblyptilia epotis</i> Species of plume moth

Amblyptilia epotis is a moth of the family Pterophoridae. It is endemic to New Zealand and is found in the South and Stewart Islands. It inhabits mountainous terrain covered in alpine vegetation or alternatively alpine wetland habitat. The adults of this species are on the wing from February to March. In appearance the adults of this species are variable in colour however this species can be distinguished from similar species by the oblique apical streak on its forewings as well as the patch of white on the costa cilia towards the apex of the forewing.

<i>Ichneutica purdii</i> Species of moth endemic to New Zealand

Ichneutica purdii, the orange astelia wainscot, is a moth of the family Noctuidae. It is endemic to New Zealand. It can be found throughout the main islands of New Zealand. I. purdii is a relatively large, colourful moth, unlikely to be confused with any other endemic moth species in New Zealand. The larvae of this moth feed at night on species of Astelia. During the day they shelter in the interior of the plant. When fully grown the larvae can reach a length of approximately 48mm. The larvae are ocherous in colour with a pink flush with line markings but when ready to pupate these markings fade and the larvae take on a light golden hue with a rosy tinge to its rear segments. The deep wine coloured pupa is enclosed in a slight cocoon, with this being constructed below the soil, amongst debris or alternatively within a hollow stick. The adult moths are on the wing from October to March. Although this moth is found throughout the main islands of New Zealand it is more frequent in the south of New Zealand at higher altitudes of up to 1200m.

<i>Reductoderces microphanes</i> Species of moth

Reductoderces microphanes is a moth of the family Psychidae. This species is endemic to New Zealand. R. microphanes is a bagworm moth and its larvae likely feed on lichen or algae. Historically there has been some confusion over the identification of this species with George Hudson mistakenly describing and illustrating unnamed species and then attributing those descriptions and illustrations to this species. Charles Edwin Clarke discussed this species stating that it and its close relatives were active and able to be collected in damp mists before sunrise.

<i>Anisoplaca achyrota</i> Species of moth endemic to New Zealand

Anisoplaca achyrota is a species of moth in the family Gelechiidae. It was first described by Edward Meyrick in 1885 and is endemic to New Zealand. This species has been observed in both the North and South Islands and inhabits native forest. The larvae of this species feed on the green seeds of Hoheria angustifolia and as such is regarded as an indicator species for mature native forest. The adults of the species are commonly on the wing from December until February and are attracted to light.

<i>Anisoplaca fraxinea</i> Species of moth endemic to New Zealand

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.

<i>Anisoplaca ptyoptera</i> Species of moth endemic to New Zealand

Anisoplaca ptyoptera is a species of moth in the family Gelechiidae. It was described by Edward Meyrick in 1885 and is endemic to New Zealand. This species is found throughout the North and South Islands and prefers habitat where its host plants are common. The larval hosts of this moth are species in the genus Carmichaelia and the larvae stem mine the host plant. However larvae have also been observed feeding on gorse species and as a result their potential as a biological control for gorse has been researched. This behaviour has only been recorded in the Canterbury and Otago regions. A. ptyoptera overwinters as larvae and while in that life stage can be parasitised by species of wasp in the genera Zealachertus and Diadegma. Pupation begins in October. Adult moths are on the wing from October until May with peak emergence occurring in January. The adult moths come in two size classes and should the size of the female be in the larger class fecundity is improved. It is likely that this species has only one brood a year.

<i>Hierodoris insignis</i> Species of moth endemic to New Zealand

Hierodoris insignis is a species of moth in the family Gelechiidae. It is endemic to New Zealand and has been found in the Nelson/Tasman districts. The larvae are leaf miners and are hosted by Celmisia species. Adults are on the wing in January. It is likely that this species belongs to another genus and as such this species is also known as Hierodoris (s.l.) insignis or 'Hierodoris' insignis.

<i>Mallobathra aphrosticha</i> Species of moth

Mallobathra aphrosticha is a moth of the family Psychidae. This species is endemic to New Zealand and has been collected in Fiordland, Otago and Southland. The adults are on the wing in December and the female is semi-apterous.

<i>Tingena apanthes</i> Species of moth, endemic to New Zealand

Tingena apanthes is a species of moth in the family Oecophoridae. It is endemic to New Zealand and found in the North Island. The adults are on the wing from October to December. It appears associated with Leptospermum species and it has been hypothesised that the appearance of the adults of this species imitates faded Leptospermum leaves.

<i>Tingena brachyacma</i> Species of moth, endemic to New Zealand

Tingena brachyacma is a species of moth in the family Oecophoridae. It is endemic to New Zealand and has been found in the south of the South Island. This species inhabits open swamps, native forest and scrubland and has been collected amongst Leptospermum. The adults of the species are on the wing in November and December.

<i>Tingena hemimochla</i> Species of moth, endemic to New Zealand

Tingena hemimochla is a species of moth in the family Oecophoridae. It is endemic to New Zealand and has been observed in the North Island. Adults of this species are on the wing from December until March.

<i>Tingena penthalea</i> Species of moth, endemic to New Zealand

Tingena penthalea is a species of moth in the family Oecophoridae. It is endemic to New Zealand and has been observed in Wellington and the Tararua Range. The adults of this species are on the wing from December until February.

<i>Tingena seclusa</i> Species of moth, endemic to New Zealand

Tingena seclusa is a species of moth in the family Oecophoridae. It is endemic to New Zealand and has been observed in the Canterbury and Otago regions. The larvae of this species are litter leaf feeders and the adults of this species are on the wing from December to February.

<i>Tingena siderota</i> Species of moth, endemic to New Zealand

Tingena siderota is a species of moth in the family Oecophoridae. It is endemic to New Zealand and has been observed at Mount Arthur, Arthur's Pass and in the Hawkes Bay. The adults of this species are on the wing in January and are said to be abundant on the flowers of species in the genus Aciphylla.

<i>Trachypepla lichenodes</i> Species of moth endemic to New Zealand

Trachypepla lichenodes is a moth of the family Oecophoridae first described by Edward Meyrick in 1883. It is endemic to New Zealand and has been found in both the North and South Islands. It inhabits native forest and adults of this species are on the wing from November to January. The adult moths are similarly coloured to native lichen species however this colouration is variable in the extent and depth on the forewings.

<i>Trachypepla protochlora</i> Species of moth endemic to New Zealand

Trachypepla protochlora is a moth of the family Oecophoridae first described by Edward Meyrick in 1883. It is endemic to New Zealand and is found in both the North and South Islands. The preferred habitat of this species is native forest and adults are on the wing from October until February. Adults can be variable in their green shaded colour as well as in the intensity of markings on their forewings. The greenish ground colouration of this moth ensures they are well camouflaged when at rest on green mosses and lichens.

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 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 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: 69. doi:10.7931/J2/FNZ.14. ISSN   0111-5383. Wikidata   Q45083134. Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 July 2021.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Alfred Philpott (1921). "Notes and descriptions of New Zealand Lepidoptera". Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute. 53: 341–342. ISSN   1176-6158. Wikidata   Q59640501.
  4. 1 2 3 George Vernon Hudson (1928), The butterflies and moths of New Zealand, Illustrator: George Hudson, Wellington, p. 351, OCLC   25449322, Wikidata   Q58593286
  5. J. S. Dugdale (10 November 1971). "Entomology of the Aucklands and other islands south of New Zealand: Lepidoptera, excluding non-crambine Pyralidae" (PDF). Pacific Insects Monographs . 27: 141. ISSN   0078-7515. Wikidata   Q64006453.
  6. "Reductoderces cawthronella (Philpott, 1921)". www.nzor.org.nz. Retrieved 2022-02-14.