Reductoderces cawthronella | |
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Illustration of male | |
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Species: | R. cawthronella |
Binomial name | |
Reductoderces cawthronella | |
Synonyms [2] | |
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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.
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]
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]
This species is endemic to New Zealand. [6] It has been collected in Nelson. [4]
It has been hypothesised that larvae in this genus are lichen or alga-browsers. [2]
The larvae inhabit a case made from fragments of a white lichen. [2] It travels in the case by extending its head and thorax 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]
Batrachedra agaura is a species of moth in the family Batrachedridae. It is endemic to New Zealand. This species is distributed throughout the country. The species inhabits native forests, especially beech and kanuka forests or manuka scrubland. The larvae of this species are associated with sooty mold and sooty beech scale. It has been hypothesized that the larvae feed on sooty beech scale. However, they may also feed on the sooty mold itself. The adult female is lighter in appearance than the male, and the species shows considerable variation in patterns on the forewing. Adults are on the wing from October to February. They are nocturnal and occasionally attracted to light.
Heterocrossa gonosemana is a species of moth in the family Carposinidae. It is endemic to New Zealand and is found throughout the country. It inhabits native forest. Larvae feed on seeds and fruit of Griselinia lucida and possibly Griselinia littoralis. They can be extremely active when disturbed. This species overwinters as a pupa, enclosed in a cocoon, underneath its host plant. Adults are on the wing from November until February and can be found during the day resting on lichen covered tree trunks where they are well camouflaged. The adult is nocturnal and is attracted to light.
Heterocrossa morbida is a moth of the Carposinidae family. It was described by Edward Meyrick in 1912 and is endemic to New Zealand. This species has been observed in both the North and South Islands. Adults are on the wing from August until February and are said to frequent clumps of Hoheria lyallii.
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.
Scoparia molifera, also known as the leather-leaf Scoparia, is a species of moth of the family Crambidae. This species was first described by Edward Meyrick in 1926 and is endemic to New Zealand. It can be found in the North and South Islands. The larvae of this species make silk tunnels from which they mine the leaves of their host, the leather-leaf fern Pyrrosia eleagnifolia. Adult moths are on wing from December to February and are attracted to light.
Scoriodyta conisalia is a species of moth in the family Psychidae. It was described by Edward Meyrick in 1888. It is endemic to New Zealand and can be found in the North Island. It has been observed at Karikari, Paihia, in the Poor Knights Islands, and in the Auckland and Wellington regions. The species inhabits native forest and coastal areas where it can be found on rocky outcrops and cliffs. Larvae consume algae and lichens. The adults are on the wing from September to March and are active before sunrise.
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.
Eudonia zophochlaena is a moth in the family Crambidae. It was described by Edward Meyrick in 1923. It is endemic to New Zealand. It has been hypothesised that this species is a North Island endemic. The adults of this species are on the wing from December until February. The larvae of this species are leaf miners of the leather-leaf fern Pyrrosia eleagnifolia.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Tingena apanthes is a species of moth in the family Oecophoridae. It is endemic to New Zealand and found on 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.
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.
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.
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.
Atomotricha isogama is a moth in the family Oecophoridae. It was first described by Edward Meyrick in 1909. This species is endemic to New Zealand and has been observed in the North and South Islands. Larvae are leaf litter feeders and have been recorded as emerging in the New Zealand spring. Adults have been observed on the wing from July to January.
Atomotricha versuta is a moth in the family Oecophoridae first described by Edward Meyrick in 1914. It is endemic to New Zealand and has been observed in both the North and South Islands. The adults of the species are variable in appearance but the three principal variteis are connected b intermediate forms. The female of the species is brachypterous and is incapable of flight. Both the adult male and female have been observed resting on fences during cold winter nights.
Chrysorthenches porphyritis is a species of moth of the family Plutellidae. It was first described by Edward Meyrick in 1885 and is endemic to New Zealand. This species can be found on both the North and South Islands in open native forest and scrub at altitudes from sea level up to 1370 m. The larvae feed on Podocarpus laetus, P. totara, P. nivalis, and Phyllocladus alpinus. The larvae create a shelter by loosely spinning together the leaves of its host plant and can be found feeding in groups. The pupa is formed inside a thin cocoon. Hudson was of the opinion that this species had two broods a year. Adult moths are on the wing all year round. The adults of this species, particularly the female, are variable in colouration and in forewing pattern.
Orthenches chlorocoma is a moth of the family Plutellidae first described by Edward Meyrick in 1885. It is endemic to New Zealand and has been observed in the North and South Islands. The larvae of this species feed on native broom species in the genus Carmichaelia including Carmichaelia australis. Adults are on the wing in September, October and February.