Trachypepla spartodeta

Last updated

Trachypepla spartodeta
Trachypepla spartodeta female.jpg
Female holotype
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Oecophoridae
Genus: Trachypepla
Species:
T. spartodeta
Binomial name
Trachypepla spartodeta
Meyrick, 1883 [1]

Trachypepla spartodeta is a moth of the family Oecophoridae first described by Edward Meyrick in 1883. [1] It is endemic to New Zealand and has been collected in both the North and South Islands. This species inhabits native forest and adults are on the wing from November to January.

Contents

Taxonomy

This species was first described by Edward Meyrick in 1883 using a specimen collected in Wellington in January. [2] [3] A fuller description of this species was given by Meyrick in 1884. [3] George Hudson discussed and illustrated this species in his 1928 book The butterflies and moths of New Zealand. [4] The female holotype, collected in the Wellington Botanic Garden, is held at the Natural History Museum, London. [5]

Description

Illustration of female by Hudson. Fig 2 MA I437892 TePapa Plate-XXXI-The-butterflies full (cropped).jpg
Illustration of female by Hudson.

Meyrick described this species as follows:

Female. — 15 mm. Head and palpi pale greyish-ochreous, terminal joint of palpi with two obscure dark fuscous rings, second joint obscurely banded with dark fuscous. Antennae fuscous. Thorax pale greyish-ochreous, mixed with dark fuscous. Abdomen grey. Anterior and middle legs dark fuscous, with pale greyish-ochreous rings at apex of joints ; posterior legs whitish-ochreous, slightly infuscated. Forewings elongate, rather narrow, costa moderately arched, apex nearly pointed, hindmargin hardly rounded, very oblique ; greyish-ochreous, somewhat mixed with dark fuscous ; markings cloudy dark fuscous ; a small spot at base of costa, and another on inner margin near base ; a transverse line from 1⁄4 of costa to 1⁄3 of inner margin, forming a right angle outwards in disc, where it is mixed with ferruginous, and preceded near inner margin by a tuft of raised scales ; a narrow elongate spot along central third of costa, connected with a raised ferruginous spot in middle of disc, beneath which is a raised tuft and some irregular dark fuscous spots ; a transverse line proceeding from costa at 4⁄5 obliquely inwards, a little beneath costa sharply bent outwards, and thence curved to anal angle; three or four small cloudy marginal spots round apex: cilia pale greyish-ochreous, mixed with dark fuscous. Hindwings pale grey, apex and hindmargin darker ; cilia grey- whitish, with two faint grey lines. [3]

This species is variable in the intensity and depth of its general colouration as well as in the markings on its forewings. [4]

Distribution

The Wellington Botanic Garden, type locality of T. spartodeta. The Wellington Botanic Garden, New Zealand.JPG
The Wellington Botanic Garden, type locality of T. spartodeta.

This species is endemic to New Zealand and has been collected in Wellington as well as in Taupo, Dunedin and Southland. [6] [7] Hudson was of the opinion that this species was rather rare. [4]

Habitat

This species inhabits native forest. [4]

Behaviour

The adults of this species are on wing from November until January. [8]

Related Research Articles

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

Trachypepla euryleucota is a species of moth in the family Oecophoridae. It is endemic to New Zealand and can be found throughout the country. They inhabit native forest and the larvae are leaf litter feeders and have also been found feeding on and in bird nests. Adults are on the wing from December to March, are nocturnal and are attracted to light. During the daylight hours they can be sometimes be observed resting on walls or fences. It has been hypothesised that the adults resemble an opening manuka flower bud or bird droppings in order to camouflage themselves from predators. The raised tufts on their forewings possibly also assist with camouflaging this moth when they rest on lichen.

<i>Pyrgotis plinthoglypta</i> Species of moth endemic to New Zealand

Pyrgotis plinthoglypta is a species of moth of the family Tortricidae. It is endemic to New Zealand and is found throughout the whole country. The preferred habitat of this species is native forest. The larvae of this species feeds on rimu leaves from under a silken web. It pupates in loose cocoons amongst rimu foliage. Adults are on the wing from October to May and are night flying. They are attracted to light and can be collected by beating their host tree. The adult insect resembles a small dried fragment of rimu foliage when at rest.

<i>Trachypepla cyphonias</i> Species of moth

Trachypepla cyphonias is a species of moth in the family Oecophoridae. It is endemic to New Zealand and has been collected in Wellington and Taranaki. Larvae of this species have been reared from kānuka leaf litter. Adults are on the wing in December. This species is classified as "At Risk, Naturally Uncommon" by the Department of Conservation.

<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.

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

Tingena anaema is a species of moth in the family Oecophoridae. It is endemic to New Zealand and has been collected at Lake Wakatipu, Invercargill and Stewart Island / Rakiura. The adults of the species are on the wing in December.

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

Tingena apanthes is a species of moth in the family Oecophoridae. It is endemic to New Zealand and found in the North Island. The adults are on the wing from October to December. It appears associated with Leptospermum species and it has been hypothesised that the appearance of the adults of this species imitates faded Leptospermum leaves.

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

Tingena aphrontis is a species of moth in the family Oecophoridae. It is endemic to New Zealand and has been collected at altitudes between 3000 - 5000 ft at Arthur's Pass and Mount Arthur. The species lives in open alpine habitat amongst alpine vegetation. Adults of the species are on the wing in January.

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

Tingena eumenopa is a species of moth in the family Oecophoridae. It is endemic to New Zealand and found in the North and South Islands. The adults have been found amongst tree ferns and are on the wing in December.

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

Tingena falsiloqua is a species of moth in the family Oecophoridae. It is endemic to New Zealand and has been collected in the North Island. This species frequents subalpine native forest.

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

Tingena hemimochla is a species of moth in the family Oecophoridae. It is endemic to New Zealand and has been observed in the North Island. Adults of this species are on the wing from December until March.

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

Tingena letharga is a species of moth in the family Oecophoridae. It is endemic to New Zealand and has been observed in Otago. Adults are on the wing in December and January.

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

Tingena oxyina is a species of moth in the family Oecophoridae. It is endemic to New Zealand and has been observed in the Otago region. This species inhabits native beech forest at altitudes of between 1000 - 3000 ft. Adults of this species are on the wing in January.

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

Trachypepla anastrella is a species of moth in the family Oecophoridae. It is endemic to New Zealand and has been observed in the North and South Islands. Larvae are leaf litter feeders from the host plant Olearia fragrantissima and adults are on the wing from December until March.

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

Trachypepla aspidephora is a species of moth in the family Oecophoridae. It is endemic to New Zealand and has been observed in the North and South Islands. Adults are on the wing from November to March and are attracted to light. The moths can be found resting on tree trunks where their colouration imitates lichens.

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

Trachypepla galaxias is a moth of the family Oecophoridae first described by Edward Meyrick in 1883. It is endemic to New Zealand and can be found throughout the country. This species inhabits native forest. The life history of this species is currently unknown. Adults are on the wing from October to February, are nocturnal and are attracted to light.

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

Trachypepla importuna is a moth of the family Oecophoridae first described by Edward Meyrick in 1914. It is endemic to New Zealand. Adults have been collected in the North Island in January but the species is regarded as being poorly known.

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

Trachypepla leucoplanetis is a moth of the family Oecophoridae first described by Edward Meyrick in 1883. It is endemic to New Zealand and has been collected in both the North and South Islands. It is the smallest moth species in the genus Trachypepla and the patterns on the forewings of adults are variable in appearance. It inhabits native forest and bush and the larvae feed on leaf litter. Adults are on the wing from October until February. T. leucoplanetis is regarded as being rarely observed and has been collected via the beating of foliage.

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

Trachypepla lichenodes is a moth of the family Oecophoridae first described by Edward Meyrick in 1883. It is endemic to New Zealand and has been found in both the North and South Islands. It inhabits native forest and adults of this species are on the wing from November to January. The adult moths are similarly coloured to native lichen species however this colouration is variable in the extent and depth on the forewings.

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

Trachypepla photinella is a moth of the family Oecophoridae first described by Edward Meyrick in 1883. It is endemic to New Zealand and has been collected in Wellington, Wainuiomata, D'Urville Island and Christchurch. The preferred habitat of this species is native forest and adults are on the wing from December until February.

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

Trachypepla protochlora is a moth of the family Oecophoridae first described by Edward Meyrick in 1883. It is endemic to New Zealand and is found in both the North and South Islands. The preferred habitat of this species is native forest and adults are on the wing from October until February. Adults can be variable in their green shaded colour as well as in the intensity of markings on their forewings. The greenish ground colouration of this moth ensures they are well camouflaged when at rest on green mosses and lichens.

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. ↑ Edward Meyrick (September 1883). "Descriptions of New Zealand Micro-Lepidoptera.—III.—Oecophoridae". New Zealand Journal of Science. 1: 522. Wikidata   Q106368126.
  3. 1 2 3 Edward Meyrick (1884). "Descriptions of New Zealand Microlepidoptera. III. Oecophoridae". Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute. 16: 16. ISSN   1176-6158. Wikidata   Q63976486.
  4. 1 2 3 4 George Vernon Hudson (1928), The butterflies and moths of New Zealand, Illustrator: George Hudson, Wellington, p. 285, 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 spartodeta Meyrick, 1883". www.nzor.org.nz. Retrieved 2022-05-03.
  7. ↑ "Trachypepla spartodeta". www.aucklandmuseum.com. 2022. Retrieved 30 July 2022.
  8. ↑ "Trachypepla spartodeta Meyrick, 1884". www.gbif.org. Retrieved 2022-07-29.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.