Xanthorhoe occulta

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Xanthorhoe occulta
Xanthorhoe occulta female.jpg
Female
Xanthorhoe occulta male.jpg
Male
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Geometridae
Genus: Xanthorhoe
Species:
X. occulta
Binomial name
Xanthorhoe occulta
Philpott, 1903 [1]

Xanthorhoe occulta is a species of moth in the family Geometridae. [1] It is endemic to New Zealand and was first described by Alfred Philpott in 1903. It is found in the North, South and Stewart Islands. The adult moths are on the wing from

Contents

Taxonomy

This species was first described by Alfred Philpott in 1903 using male specimens collected at West Plains, Invercargill. [2] The male holotype has been lost but the two male paratype specimens are held in the New Zealand Arthropod Collection. [3]

Description

Observation of live male X. occulta. Xanthorhoe occulta 239844044.jpg
Observation of live male X. occulta.

Philpott described the male adult of this species as follows:

♂. 28 mm. Head and thorax dull yellowish – brown. Legs and abdomen paler. Antennas shortly bipectinated. Fore wings dull yellowish – brown, sometimes with reddish tinge, more pronounced near base ; a white dot posteriorly black-margined on vein 1 at 13 ; a similar dot near origin of vein 2 ; a chain of similar dots, black-margined anteriorly, from 34 costa to 34 dorsum. Cilia reddish-brown. Hind wings very pale whitish-yellow. Cilia same colour. [2]

The female of this species have wings that are reduced in size. [4]

Distribution and habitat

This species has been observed in the North, South and Stewart Islands, including in the Tararua Range, at Mount Arthur, Arthur's Pass, Otira, Dunedin and Invercargill in the South Island. [5] In the North Island and the northern parts of the South Island this species appears to inhabit sub-alpine forest glades. However further south in the southern parts of the South Island and on Stewart Island this species can be found in lowland habitat. [5]

Behaviour

The adults of this species are on the wing from October to February. [5] The adult moths are attracted to light. [5]

Host plant

Larvae of this species have been observed feeding on herbs. [6]


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References

  1. 1 2 "Xanthorhoe occulta Philpott, 1903". www.nzor.org.nz. Retrieved 26 April 2022.
  2. 1 2 Alfred Philpott (July 1903). "On some New Species of Lepidoptera (Moths) from Southland". Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute. 35: 248. ISSN   1176-6158. Wikidata   Q110737345.
  3. 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: 191. doi:10.7931/J2/FNZ.14. ISSN   0111-5383. Wikidata   Q45083134.
  4. B. I. P. Barratt; B. H. Patrick (January 1987). "Insects of snow tussock grassland on the East Otago Plateau". New Zealand Entomologist. 10 (1): 69–98. doi:10.1080/00779962.1987.9722513. ISSN   0077-9962. Wikidata   Q54576207.
  5. 1 2 3 4 George Vernon Hudson (1928), The butterflies and moths of New Zealand, Illustrator: George Hudson, Wellington, OCLC   25449322, Wikidata   Q58593286
  6. Brian H. Patrick (1997). "Codfish Island moths" (PDF). The Wētā. 20: 17–20. ISSN   0111-7696. Wikidata   Q110875754. Archived from the original (PDF) on 18 October 2008.