Trachypepla semilauta

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Trachypepla semilauta
Trachypepla semilauta holotype.png
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Oecophoridae
Genus: Trachypepla
Species:
T. semilauta
Binomial name
Trachypepla semilauta
Philpott, 1918 [1]

Trachypepla semilauta is a moth of the family Oecophoridae and was first described by Alfred Philpott in 1918. [1] 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.

Contents

Taxonomy

This species was first described by Alfred Philpott in 1918 using three specimens collected in the Hunter Mountains in January. [2] The male genitalia of this species was studied and illustrated by Alfred Philpott in 1927. [3] George Hudson discussed and illustrated this species in his 1928 book The butterflies and moths of New Zealand. [4] The female holotype is held in the New Zealand Arthropod Collection. [5]

Description

Female illustrated by Hudson. Fig 18 MA I437899 TePapa Plate-XXXVIII-The-butterflies full (cropped).jpg
Female illustrated by Hudson.

Philpott described this species as follows:

♂ ♀. 15-16 mm. Head ochreous-white. Palpi ochreous-white infuscated at base beneath and with a fuscous band before apex. Antennae fuscous, obscurely annulated with ochreous, ciliations in ♂ 2+1⁄2. Thorax fuscous mixed with ochreous. Abdomen fuscous-grey. Legs whitish-grey with some infuscation. Forewings rather broad, costa moderately arched, apex subacute, termen almost straight, strongly oblique ; white, faintly tinged with yellowish; base narrowly fuscous-black, extending on costa to 1⁄5; an outwardly -angulated fuscous-black fascia from dorsum at middle, not reaching costa, broadest on dorsum where it is sometimes bright ochreous ; a triangular black fascia from costa at 1⁄2, its apex, which encloses a white spot, reaching centre of wing, thence continued as a line to tornus ; a small black mark preceding this below middle ; a curved black fascia from costa at 3⁄4 round termen to tornus, anteriorly margined with white, the space between this and the median fascia being filled with bright ochreous ; a black apical blotch ; in some specimens the space between the costal fasciae is suffusedly filled with dark fuscous, the ochreous and white colouring being almost obsolete : cilia whitish-ochreous more or less sprinkled with fuscous ; apex fuscous. Hindwings dark greyish-fuscous : cilia grey-fuscous with darker basal line. [2]

This species can be distinguished from its close relative T. ingenua as it has a white patch on the basal portion of its forewings. [2]

Distribution

This species is endemic to New Zealand. [6] Philpott collected specimens at Cleughearn Peak in the Hunter Mountains at an altitude of approximately 825m. [4]

Habitat

Southern beech forest. Rob Roy Stream through beech forest towards Matukituki Valley.jpg
Southern beech forest.

This species inhabits southern beech forests on the side of mountains. [4]

Behaviour

Adults are on the wing in January. [4]

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References

  1. 1 2 Gordon, Dennis P., ed. (2010). New Zealand inventory of biodiversity: Kingdom animalia : chaetognatha, ecdysozoa, ichnofossils. Vol. 2. p. 462. ISBN   978-1-877257-93-3. OCLC   973607714. OL   25288394M. Wikidata   Q45922947.
  2. 1 2 3 Alfred Philpott (1918). "Descriptions of new species of Lepidoptera". Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute (in English and English). 50: 129. ISSN   1176-6158. Wikidata   Q109591818.
  3. ↑ Alfred Philpott (15 August 1927). "The male genitalia of the New Zealand Oecophoridae". Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute. 53: 102–113. ISSN   1176-6158. Wikidata   Q63131107.
  4. 1 2 3 4 George Vernon Hudson (1928), The butterflies and moths of New Zealand, Illustrator: George Hudson, Wellington, p. 283, OCLC   25449322, Wikidata   Q58593286
  5. ↑ 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: 107. doi:10.7931/J2/FNZ.14. ISSN   0111-5383. Wikidata   Q45083134.
  6. ↑ "Trachypepla semilauta Philpott, 1918". biotanz.landcareresearch.co.nz. Retrieved 2022-07-29.


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