Sestra humeraria

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Sestra humeraria
Sestra humeraria male.jpg
Male
Sestra humeraria female.jpg
Female
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Geometridae
Genus: Sestra
Species:
S. humeraria
Binomial name
Sestra humeraria
(Walker, 1861) [1]
Synonyms [2]
  • Macaria humerariaWalker, 1861

Sestra humeraria, also known as huarau looper, is a species of moth in the family Geometridae. [3] It was described by Francis Walker in 1861. [2] This species is endemic to New Zealand. [1]

Contents

Description

The mature larva of this species has a slightly knobbly appearance with a pale brown body marked with darker wavy lines. [4] It is between 25 and 30 mm in length. [4]

Behaviour

When the larvae are touched they drop down to the soil or leaf litter. [4] The larvae can be seen all year but the adult moths are on the wing from October to December. [4]

Host

The larval host of this species is the fern Hypolepis millefolium . [4] The larvae feed on the fronds of their host. [4]

References

  1. 1 2 "Sestra humeraria (Walker, 1861)". www.nzor.org.nz. Landcare Research New Zealand Ltd. Retrieved 4 February 2018.
  2. 1 2 Dugdale, J. S. (1988). "Lepidoptera - annotated catalogue, and keys to family-group taxa" (PDF). Fauna of New Zealand. 14: 169. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 January 2019. Retrieved 4 February 2018.
  3. ↑ Gordon, Dennis P., ed. (2010). New Zealand inventory of biodiversity: Kingdom animalia: chaetognatha, ecdysozoa, ichnofossils. Vol. 2. p. 458. ISBN   978-1-877257-93-3. OCLC   973607714. OL   25288394M. Wikidata   Q45922947.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Andrew Crowe (2004). Life-Size Guide to New Zealand Native Ferns: Featuring the unique caterpillars which feed on them. p. 25. ISBN   0-14-301924-4. Wikidata   Q115211440.


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