Sabatinca aurella

Last updated

Sabatinca aurella
Sabatinca aurella.jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Micropterigidae
Genus: Sabatinca
Species:
S. aurella
Binomial name
Sabatinca aurella
Hudson, 1918 [1]
Synonyms [1]
  • Micropardalis aurella(Hudson, 1918)

Sabatinca aurella is a species of moth of the family Micropterigidae. [1] It is endemic to New Zealand. The larvae of this species is variable in appearance but tends to be coloured yellow-green with greyish patches. The adults of the species have a pale golden appearance with silver or purple coloured bars on the forewings. The moth has an approximate wingspan of around 1cm. This species is found from the Coromandel Peninsula to the Fox Glacier and is on the wing from September to January. A larval host species is the liverwort Heteroscyphus lingulatus. The preferred habitat of this species is at higher altitudes than other New Zealand endemic species in this genus and it tends to prefer forest or sub alpine grass or scrubland.

Contents

Taxonomy

This species was first described by George Hudson in 1918. [2] Hudson used a specimen collected by R. M. Sunley at an altitude of 3000 ft in the Tararua Ranges. [2] In 1923 Edward Meyrick placed this species within the Micropardalis genus. [3] This placement was accepted by J. S. Dugdale in his 1988 publication Lepidoptera - annotated catalogue, and keys to family-group taxa. [4] However G. W. Gibbs revised this combination in 2014 and placed this species within the Sabatinca genus. [1] Meyrick had justified the placement of this species in the Micropardalis genus on the basis of the wing venation of that species. [3] However Gibbs argued that a survey of wing venation across all Sabatinca species showed that a series existed and that S. aurella formed a part of that series. [1] He therefore concluded that there was no longer any grounds for that generic distinction. [1] The female lectotype specimen is held at the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa. [1]

Description

Sabatinca aurella illustrated by George Hudson. Fig 20 Plate XLVI The butterflies & moths of New Zealand (cropped).jpg
Sabatinca aurella illustrated by George Hudson.

The larvae of this species is variable in appearance but tends to be coloured yellow-green with greyish patches. [1]

Hudson described the adults of this species as follows:

The expansion of the wings is 716 inch. The fore wings, which have the costa very abruptly arched at the base and the termen very oblique, are bright, golden-ochreuus with the veins well marked and deeply depressed ; there is a large crimson-orange-metallic basal patch, purple on the costa ; a curved transverse band at about 13 deep crimson-purple-metallic on the costa, metallic-blue below the middle, and crimson on the dorsum; another narrower band at about 13, deep purple on the costa, thence brilliant metallic-blue to the dorsum ; two long costal bars beyond this, purple on the costa, pale metallic-blue towards the disc ; an irregular confluent series of crimson and metallic-blue spots on the termen ; the cilia are golden-ochreous. The hind wings are blackish with strong purple reflections. The head and thorax are clothed with long rusty-orange hairs. The abdomen is blackish. The antennae are orange, black towards the apex. [2]

A "pale shining golden" species, these moths have a forewing length of between 4.2 and 5.2mm. [1] The wing patterns of S. aurella are regarded as being the most "straightforward" as compared to other New Zealand species in this genus. [5] The forewing pattern is similar to that of Sabatinca doroxena. [5]

Distribution

This species is endemic to New Zealand. [6] It is one of New Zealand's most frequently encountered jaw-moths, this species is found from as far North as the Coromandel Peninsula to as far South as Fox Glacier. [1]

Behaviour

This species is on the wing from the beginning of September until the end of January. [1] It is most common from mid-November to the end of December. [1]

Host species and habitat

Sabatinca aurella Sabatinca aurella 98892438 (cropped).jpg
Sabatinca aurella

A larval host species is the liverwort formerly known as Heteroscyphus normalis and now known as Heteroscyphus lingulatus . [7] [8] This species tends to prefer forest or subalpine grasslands or shrublands habitat at a higher altitude than other New Zealand endemic species within the genus Sabatinca. [1]

Related Research Articles

<i>Sabatinca incongruella</i> Species of moth endemic to New Zealand

Sabatinca incongruella is a species of moth of the family Micropterigidae. It is endemic to New Zealand and is found only in the northern parts of the South Island. It is a day flying moth and is on the wing from mid January until late February. The larvae of this species feed on liverworts and the adult moths feed on the spores of fern species in the genus Pneumatopteris. This species can be confused with S. chalcophanes as it is very similar in appearance.

<i>Sabatinca lucilia</i> Species of moth

Sabatinca lucilia is a species of moth in the family Micropterigidae. It is endemic to New Zealand and is found in the top half of the North Island. The adults of this species are on the wing from the end of November until the beginning of March. The larvae of this species likely feed on foliose liverwort species with the adults likely feeding on fern spores or sedge pollen. Adults have been found on a sunny moss-covered clay bank. The species can be found in multiple forest types such as kauri, kanuka and Nothofagus and prefers to inhabit damp fern covered banks

<i>Sabatinca chalcophanes</i> Species of moth

Sabatinca chalcophanes is a moth of the family Micropterigidae. This species is endemic to New Zealand and is found in the North Island apart from Northland and in the South Island apart from in the east, south of Queen Charlotte Sound. The adults of this species are on the wing from November to April and as a result of this long period it has been hypothesised that this species has two broods. The preferred habitat of this species is in damp lowland forest. The larval host species are foliose liverwort species including Hymenophyton flabellatum.

<i>Zealandopterix zonodoxa</i> Species of moth endemic to New Zealand

Zealandopterix zonodoxa is a moth of the family Micropterigidae. It is endemic to New Zealand and is located from Hawkes Bay north as well as on Poor Knights, Little Barrier and the Great Barrier Islands. It is the smallest micropterigid in New Zealand and the shiny white markings on the forewing of this species display variation. It is a moth that is active during the day, but has been collected using UV light. Adults are on the wing from September to March and the species has been witnessed visiting the flowers of Nīkau and Cordyline pumilio in large numbers. It inhabits a wide variety of moist indigenous forest but is associated with forests in which podocarps are common. Larvae have been sieved from rotten wood on the floor of a mixed podocarp/broadleaf forest or extracted from moss or from bryophytes.

<i>Sabatinca</i> Genus of moths in family Micropterigidae

Sabatinca is a genus of small primitive metallic moths in the family Micropterigidae. Palaeomicra and Micropardalis were both established as subgenera of Sabatinca, but were both raised to generic level by Joël Minet in 1985. However, in 2014 both these genera, Palaeomicra and Micropardalis, were recognised by George Gibbs as synonyms of Sabatinca. Extinct species in this genus are known from the Cretaceous Burmese amber.

<i>Sabatinca doroxena</i> Moth species in family Micropterigidae

Sabatinca doroxena is a species of moth belonging to the family Micropterigidae. It is endemic to the North Island of New Zealand. This small moth has a colourful forewing pattern with stripes and dots evident. It has been hypothesised that the forewing pattern is intended to resemble a jumping spider in order to allow the adult moth to escape predation. Adults of this species are on the wing from the beginning of September until mid January. It prefers damp but sunny habitat in deep forest, at the forest edge or in open shrubland. Larvae feed on foliose liverwort species including on Heteroscyphus normalis. Adults of this species have been located at the blossoms of flowering Cordyline and Ranunculus species.

<i>Sabatinca ianthina</i> Species of moth

Sabatinca ianthina is a species of moth belonging to the family Micropterigidae. It was described by Alfred Philpott in 1921. It is endemic to New Zealand. This species can be found on both the North and the South Islands from the Hawkes Bay down to Westland. The adults of this species are on the wing from the end of September until the middle of December. Although this species resembles Zealandopterix zonodoxa, S. ianthina is a larger moth and the range of the two species only overlaps in White Pine Bush Scenic Reserve in the Hawke’s Bay.

<i>Sabatinca aemula</i> Species of moth

Sabatinca aemula is a species of moth belonging to the family Micropterigidae. It is endemic to New Zealand and is found in the north western parts of the South Island. The larvae of this species has yet to be collected but it has been hypothesised that the larvae subsist on foliose liverworts similar to other species in the Sabatinca genus. The adults of the species are on the wing from the middle of September until the end of December. The adults of S. aemula are very similar in appearance to S. chrysargyra and it has been argued they can only be distinguished by dissection. However more recent research suggests that the colour patterns on the forewings of the two species can be sufficient to distinguish between the two species.

<i>Sabatinca caustica</i> Species of moth endemic to New Zealand

Sabatinca caustica is a species of moth belonging to the family Micropterigidae. It was described by Edward Meyrick in 1912. It is endemic to New Zealand and is found in both Southland and at Stewart Island / Rakiura. The adults of this species are variable in appearance with some specimens being mainly white on their forewings while others have forewings that are a more mottled purple-brown colour. Adults are on the wing from the start of October until the middle of December. Larvae feed on the surface of leafy liverworts.

<i>Sabatinca chrysargyra</i> Species of moth endemic to New Zealand

Sabatinca chrysargyra is a species of moth belonging to the family Micropterigidae. It was described by Edward Meyrick in 1886 and is endemic to New Zealand. It can be found from Franz Josef Glacier / Kā Roimata o Hine Hukatere south but only on the western side of the South Island. Adults are on the wing from the beginning of October until the middle of January. Larvae likely feed on foliose liverworts and have been found on species in the genus Plagiochila. The adult moths live in a range of habitats preferring sunny open spaces in forests or snow-tussock grasslands that can range in altitude from near sea level up to 1,230 m. This species is very similar in appearance to Sabatinca aemula and dissection of genitalia is required to distinguish between the two species.

<i>Sabatinca demissa</i> Species of moth endemic to New Zealand

Sabatinca demissa is a species of moth belonging to the family Micropterigidae. It is endemic to New Zealand and is found in the northern half of the North Island. The larvae of this species are small in size and are coloured pale green with darker green or black patches on the rear of its body. The adult moth is coloured yellow-brown with black dots on its forewings. It is a small moth with a wingspan of approximately 6.5 mm in length. Unlike many species of moth, it does not have a pheromone communication system. The adults of the species are on the wing from November to January. The larvae of this species feed on leafy types of liverwort. The adults of this species feed on the spores of fertile cones of Lycopodium volubile and Lycopodium scariosum.

<i>Sabatinca heighwayi</i> Species of moth

Sabatinca heighwayi is a species of moth belonging to the family Micropterigidae. It was described by Alfred Philpott in 1927 and is endemic to New Zealand. It can be found north of Lewis Pass in the north west of the South Island. Adult moths are on the wing from late September until the middle of January. The host of the larvae of this species is the foliose liverwort Plagiochila circumcincta.

<i>Sabatinca quadrijuga</i> Species of moth endemic to New Zealand

Sabatinca quadrijuga is a species of moth belonging to the family Micropterigidae. This species is endemic to New Zealand and is found in the Dunedin area and in Southland. The range of S. quadrijuga overlaps with the range of S. caustica.S. quadrijuga was first scientifically described by Edward Meyrick in 1912. As a result of its predominantly black forewings this species looks similar to a small caddisfly. The adults of this species are on the wing from September to November. Larvae feed on leafy liverwort species and the adults likely feed on fern spores or sedge pollen. The species prefers to live in well lit but damp mossy habitats. The nearest relative of S. quadrijuga is S. aurantissima.

<i>Sabatinca aenea</i> Species of moth endemic to New Zealand

Sabatinca aenea, also known as the Banks Peninsula Metallic, is a species of moth belonging to the family Micropterigidae. This species was first described by George Hudson in 1923. It is endemic to New Zealand and is found in Kaikōura and in the Canterbury regions. The larvae of this species is a deep grey green colour and likely feeds on foliose liverwort species. The adult moths likely feed on fern spores or sedge pollen. This species prefers moist semi-shaded habitat and the adults are on the wing from the start of October until the middle of December.

<i>Sabatinca calliarcha</i> Species of moth endemic to New Zealand

Sabatinca calliarcha is a species of moth belonging to the family Micropterigidae. It was described by Edward Meyrick in 1912. It is endemic to New Zealand. It is found in two separate areas of New Zealand - the first in the norther parts of the North Island including Great Barrier Island and the second population can be found from the top of the South Island down to Southland. The adults of the species are on the wing from the end of September until the middle of January. The species prefers to inhabit damp forests and larvae likely feed on leafy liverwort species. Adult moths likely feed on the spores of ferns or the pollen of sedge grasses.

<i>Mnesarchella hamadelpha</i> Moth species in family Mnesarchaeidae

Mnesarchella hamadelpha is a species of primitive moth in the family Mnesarchaeidae. It is endemic to New Zealand and is found in the Wellington, Marlborough Sounds, Marlborough and Nelson regions. It is frequently found at altitudes of between 800 and 1400m but can be found as low as approximately 400 m. It is often found in damp moss covered but well lit native forest. This species is very similar in appearance to M. acuta. However although M. hamadelpha is present in the same locations as M. acuta, it is usually found at higher altitudes or at later times in the year. Adults are on the wing from November to February.

<i>Eudonia asaleuta</i> Species of moth

Eudonia asaleuta is a moth of the family Crambidae. It was described by Edward Meyrick in 1907. It is endemic to New Zealand and has been collected in the South Island in the West Coast, Fiordland,Canterbury, Otago and Southland regions. This species inhabits bare shingle areas as well as tussock habitat with few trees or scrub at altitudes of under 1000 m. Adults are on the wing from November to February.

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

Hierodoris electrica is a moth of the family Oecophoridae. It was described by Edward Meyrick in 1889. It is endemic to New Zealand, where it has been reported from the northern and southern parts of the South Island. The larva of H. electrica has yet to be described. The wingspan is between 15 and 16.5 mm. The ground colour of the forewings is dark brown, with narrow yellow scales overlaying this base colour. The hindwings are brown. The known larval host species is Olearia nummulariifolia.

Sabatinca aurantissima is a species of moth belonging to the family Micropterigidae. This species is endemic to New Zealand and is found in the Nelson and Buller regions close to the coast and at lower altitudes. In appearance, the larvae has a distinctive pinkish-brown colour and at maturity can reach 8 mm in length. The adults are larger than many endemic species within the Sabatinca genus and have forewings that are highly reflective. These two features ensures it can be distinguished from S. aurella, a related species that is similar in appearance. The larvae feed on bryophytes.

Sabatinca bimacula is a species of moth belonging to the family Micropterigidae. This species is endemic to New Zealand and has only been found in the Percy Valley and on Secretary Island in Fiordland. This species is sexually dimorphic with the male of the species having an 'L'-shaped marking on the forewing while in the female the 'L'-shaped marking is much broader and takes up most of the half of the forewing nearest the abdomen. The adults of this species are on the wing in the second half of October. Larvae of this species feed on the liverwort Bazzania involuta. The host species of adult S. bimacula are unknown but are likely to be fern spores or pollen from Sedge grasses. As at 2017 S. bimacula has been classified as having the "At Risk, Naturally Uncommon" conservation status under the New Zealand Threat Classification System.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 George W. Gibbs (30 June 2014). "Micropterigidae (Insecta: Lepidoptera)" (PDF). Fauna of New Zealand. Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research. 72. doi:10.7931/J2/FNZ.72. ISSN   0111-5383. OCLC   917549814. Wikidata   Q44902221. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 February 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 George Vernon Hudson (1918), Descriptions of new species of Lepidoptera from New Zealand, vol. 54, pp. 61–63, Wikidata   Q109380930
  3. 1 2 Edward Meyrick (1923). "Descriptions of New Zealand Lepidoptera". Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute. 54: 162–169. ISSN   1176-6158. Wikidata   Q63102493.
  4. John Stewart Dugdale (23 September 1988). "Lepidoptera - annotated catalogue, and keys to family-group taxa". Fauna of New Zealand. Department of Scientific and Industrial Research. 14: 52. doi:10.7931/J2/FNZ.14. ISSN   0111-5383. Wikidata   Q45083134.
  5. 1 2 Sandra R Schachat; Richard L Brown (26 May 2016). "Forewing color pattern in Micropterigidae (Insecta: Lepidoptera): homologies between contrast boundaries, and a revised hypothesis for the origin of symmetry systems". BMC Ecology and Evolution . 16 (1): 116. doi: 10.1186/S12862-016-0687-Z . ISSN   1471-2148. PMC   4880886 . PMID   27230100. Wikidata   Q28602191.
  6. "Sabatinca aurella Hudson, 1918". www.nzor.org.nz. 2021. Retrieved 2021-11-04.
  7. "Sabatinca aurella Hudson, 1918". plant-synz.landcareresearch.co.nz. 2011. Retrieved 2021-11-04.
  8. "Heteroscyphus normalis (Steph.) R.M.Schust". nztcs.org.nz. 2021. Retrieved 2021-11-04.