Sabatinca heighwayi

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Sabatinca heighwayi
Sabatinca heighwayi Holotype TYPELEP010750.png
Holotype
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Micropterigidae
Genus: Sabatinca
Species:
S. heighwayi
Binomial name
Sabatinca heighwayi
Philpott, 1927 [1]

Sabatinca heighwayi is a species of moth belonging to the family Micropterigidae. [1] It was described by Alfred Philpott in 1927 and is endemic to New Zealand. [2] 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.

Contents

Taxonomy

This species was described by Alfred Philpott in 1927 using two female specimens collected by Mr W. Heighway at the Leslie Valley, Mount Arthur Tableland in November, 1915. [3] The holotype specimen is held at the New Zealand Arthropod Collection. [4]

Original description

Illustration of S. heighwayi by George Hudson Fig 32 MA I437922 TePapa Plate-LXI-A-supplement full (cropped).jpg
Illustration of S. heighwayi by George Hudson

Philpott described the adults of the species as follows:

♀. 13.5 mm. Head covered with dense long hair reaching beyond 12 of antennae, light tawny. Antennae bright brown, tips black. Thorax tawny, densely long-haired. Abdomen dark fuscous. Legs ochreous, tarsi banded with fuscous. Forewings long, costa strongly arched at base, apex round-pointed, termen very oblique; shining brassy; fasciae ivory-yellow with pink reflections; three equidistant complete curved fasciae between base and 12; at 23 a fascia interrupted below middle; between 12 and 34 a fascia indicated by marks on costa and dorsum; two fasciae near apex, broadly interrupted at middle; all fasciae are here and there margined with blackish; an obscure reddish shade commences in disc at third fascia and runs to apex; fringes pinkish-brown obscurely barred with pale yellow. Hindwings metallic violet, paler near base; fringes fuscous with some yellow at middle of termen. [3]

This moth is one of the larger New Zealand endemic species within the genus Sabatinca and has a forewing band pattern of light bands surrounded by dark bands. [1] [5]

Distribution

This species is endemic to New Zealand and can be found north of Lewis Pass in the north west of the South Island. [1]

Behaviour

Adult moths are on the wing from late September until the middle of January. [1] This species is regarded as being very elusive. [1]

Host species and habitat

The host of the larvae of this species is the foliose liverwort Plagiochila circumcincta . [1] [6] S. heighwayi pupates during the winter months. [1]

Related Research Articles

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Sabatinca aurella is a species of moth of the family Micropterigidae. 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.

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

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

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<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

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

Trachypepla semilauta is a moth of the family Oecophoridae and was first described by Alfred Philpott in 1918. It is endemic to New Zealand and has been collected in Southland. This species inhabits southern beech forest on the side of mountains. Adults are on the wing in January.

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

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.

Sabatinca weheka is a species of moth belonging to the family Micropterigidae. This species is endemic to New Zealand where it can be found near Lake Matheson and also on Secretary Island. This species is very similar in appearance to S. heighwayi in both their larval and adult forms but the adults of S. weheka differ as they are darker and more strongly marked on the forewings and have a dark brownish base colour to their wings. This species is on the wing from the middle to the end of October and lives in forest with a high rainfall. The larval host species is the liverwort Plagiochila deltoidea.

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

Tingena decora is a species of moth in the family Oecophoridae. It is endemic to New Zealand and has been collected at Lake Rotoroa and adults are on the wing in February.

<i>Meterana badia</i> Species of moth endemic to New Zealand

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

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 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. "Sabatinca heighwayi Philpott, 1927". www.nzor.org.nz. Landcare Research New Zealand Ltd. Retrieved 2018-03-29.
  3. 1 2 Alfred Philpott (15 August 1927). "Notes and Descriptions of New Zealand Lepidoptera". Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute. 58: 90. ISSN   1176-6158. Wikidata   Q107580217.
  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. 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. Glime, Janice M. (2017). "Chapter 12: Terrestrial Insects: Holometabola – Lepidoptera: Micropterigoidea – Gelechioidea". Bryophyte Ecology. Vol. 2. Michigan Technological University.