Reductoderces microphanes

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Reductoderces microphanes
Reductoderces microphanes holotype.jpg
Male holotype specimen
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Arthropoda
Class:
Insecta
Order:
Lepidoptera
Family:
Psychidae
Genus:
Reductoderces
Species:
R. microphanes
Binomial name
Reductoderces microphanes
(Meyrick, 1888) [1]
Synonyms [2] [3]
  • Mallobathra microphanesMeyrick, 1888
  • Taleporia microphanes(Meyrick, 1888)
  • Mallobathra fragilisPhilpott, 1927

Reductoderces microphanes is a moth of the family Psychidae. [1] 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.

Contents

Taxonomy

This species was first described by Edward Meyrick in 1888 using a male specimen collected in Christchurch in August and named Mallobathra microphanes. [4] In 1915 Meyrick revised New Zealand Tineina and maintained this placement. [5] In 1928 in his book The butterflies and moths of New Zealand, George Hudson discussed and illustrated moths purporting to be this species under the names Taleporia microphanes and Mallobathra fragilis. [6] In 1971 J. S. Dugdale removed this species from the genus Taleporia and placed this species within the genus Reductoderces. [7] In 1988, J. S. Dugdale stated that both descriptions and illustrations by Hudson of Taleporia microphanes and Mallobathra fragilis in his 1928 book The butterflies and moths of New Zealand referred to unnamed species rather than to Reductoderces microphanes. [2] In 1988 Dugdale also synonymised Mallobathra fragilis with Reductoderces microphanes. [2] The placement by Dugdale of this species into the genus Reductoderces was confirmed in the Inventory of New Zealand Biodiversity. [1] The holotype specimen is held at the Natural History Museum, London. [2]

Description

Meyrick described the species as follows:

Male. — 9 mm. Head, palpi, and antennae light fuscous; palpi moderate; antennal ciliations 2+1⁄2. Thorax fuscous. Abdomen grey. Legs grey-whitish. Forewings elongate, costa slightly arched, apex rounded, hindmargin extremely obliquely rounded; rather dark fuscous, irrorated with very obscure grey-whitish spots; costa with four more distinct small white spots on posterior half: cilia whitish-fuscous, basal half except towards anal angle fuscous obscurely spotted with whitish. Hindwings light grey; cilia 1+1⁄2, grey-whitish. [4]

Distribution

This species is endemic to New Zealand. [1] [8] It has been collected in its type locality of Christchurch as well as in Dunedin. [5] [9]

Behaviour

Charles Edwin Clarke stated that the adults of this species are active and able to be collected in damp mists before sunrise. [10]

Host species and habitat

It is likely that the larvae of this species are lichen or alga-browsers. [7] The larvae of this species inhabit long, flanged cases which can be found on cliff-faces, tree trunks or stones. [7]

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 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 John Stewart Dugdale (23 September 1988). "Lepidoptera - annotated catalogue, and keys to family-group taxa". Fauna of New Zealand. 14. Department of Scientific and Industrial Research: 69. doi:10.7931/J2/FNZ.14. ISSN   0111-5383. Wikidata   Q45083134.
  3. ↑ "Reductoderces microphanes (Meyrick, 1888)". nzinverts.landcareresearch.co.nz. Retrieved 2021-12-13.
  4. 1 2 E. Meyrick (1888). "Descriptions of New Zealand Tineina". Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute. 20: 103. ISSN   1176-6158. Wikidata   Q63125188.
  5. 1 2 E. Meyrick (12 July 1915). "Revision of New Zealand Tineina". Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute. 47: 240. ISSN   1176-6158. Wikidata   Q63123349.
  6. ↑ George Vernon Hudson (1928), The butterflies and moths of New Zealand, Illustrator: George Hudson, Wellington: Ferguson and Osborn Limited, LCCN   88133764, OCLC   25449322, Wikidata   Q58593286
  7. 1 2 3 Dugdale, J. S. (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.
  8. ↑ "Reductoderces microphanes (Meyrick, 1888)". www.nzor.org.nz. Retrieved 2021-12-13.
  9. ↑ Alfred Philpott (1917). "A list of the Lepidoptera of Otago". Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute. 49: 238. ISSN   1176-6158. Wikidata   Q63958657.
  10. ↑ Clarke, Charles E. (February 1933). "The Lepidoptera of the Te Anau-Manapouri Lakes Districts". Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute. 63 (2): 115. ISSN   1176-6158. Wikidata   Q62934927.
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