Xanthorhoe orophyla

Last updated

Xanthorhoe orophyla
Xanthorhoe orophyla female.jpg
Female
Xanthorhoe orophyla male.jpg
Male
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Geometridae
Genus: Xanthorhoe
Species:
X. orophyla
Binomial name
Xanthorhoe orophyla
(Meyrick, 1883) [1]
Synonyms
  • Epyaxa orophylaMeyrick, 1883
  • Epyaxa orophyllaMeyrick, 1883
  • Xanthorhoe orophylla(Meyrick, 1883)

Xanthorhoe orophyla is a moth of the family Geometridae. It is endemic to New Zealand and is found in the South Island in alpine habitat. This species has one brood a year and their larvae feed on cruciferous plants. Adults are on the wing from December to February and are attracted to light.

Contents

Taxonomy

This species was first described by Edward Meyrick in 1883 under the name Epyaxa orophylla in a published abstract. [2] Meyrick gave a fuller description of the species in 1884 under the name Epyaxa orophyla. [3] In 1898 George Hudson discussed the species under the name orophyla when placing it within the genus Xanthorhoe. [4] Meyrick again discussed the species in 1917 under the name orophyla when agreeing with its placement in the genus Xanthorhoe. [5] In 1928 Hudson, in his seminal work The butterflies and moths of New Zealand, discussed and illustrated this species again spelling the specific epithet orophyla. [6] In 1988 J. S. Dugdale discussed this species under the epithet orophylla. [7] However, in 2010 the New Zealand Inventory of Biodiversity referred to the species by the epithet orophyla and this spelling has also been followed by the New Zealand Organisms Register. [8] [1] The male lectotype, collected at Lake Wakatipu, is held at the Natural History Museum, London. [7]

Description

In 1898 George Hudson described the species as follows:

The expansion of the wings of the male is 1+1⁄4 inches, of the female 1+3⁄8 inches. The fore-wings of the male are pale brownish-grey; there is an obscure bent blackish line near the base, a moderately broad central band bounded by two very distinct shaded blackish lines, the basal one of which is not curved; the termen is shaded with darker grey, and there is an oblique pale mark near the apex. The hind-wings are pale grey tinged with ochreous. The female is slightly darker than the male; and there are numerous wavy pale and dark grey lines filling up the entire wing on each side of the central band. [4]

Distribution and habitat

X. orophyla can be found in the high country of the South Island and has been collected in Nelson, Canterbury, and Otago. [9] [4] They prefer open areas in lowland to alpine habitat. [4] [10]

Behaviour and life cycle

This species has one brood a year. [9] Adults are on the wing from December to February. [9] The moths are attracted to light. [9] This species is said to be common on Aoraki / Mount Cook's lower slopes. [9]

Host species

Larvae of this species feed on cruciferous plants. [10]

Related Research Articles

<i>Austrocidaria parora</i> Species of moth

Austrocidaria parora is a species of moth of the family Geometridae. It is endemic to New Zealand.

<i>Pasiphila charybdis</i> Species of moth

Pasiphila charybdis is a species of moth in the family Geometridae. It is endemic to New Zealand.

<i>Homodotis megaspilata</i> Species of moth

Homodotis megaspilata, also known as the small hooked-tip looper moth, is a moth of the family Geometridae. It is endemic to New Zealand and can be found throughout the country. It is regarded as being common species. The preferred habitat of this species is native forest, scrub, coastal areas and domestic gardens. Larvae feed on the dead leaves of Geniostoma ligustrifolium and likely other native plants. Once mature the larvae will pupate on the ground forming a silken cocoon protected by hiding inside two leaves of its host plant. Adults are nocturnal and are on the wing from October to April. They are attracted to light. In appearance the adults of this species are extremely variable but can be distinguished from similar species as all variations have forewings with blunt hook shaped tips.

<i>Asaphodes beata</i> Species of moth

Asaphodes beata is a species of moth in the family Geometridae. It is endemic to New Zealand and is a relatively common species that can be found throughout the country in native forest or scrub habitat. It can be distinguished from its close relative Asaphodes adonis by the colour of its hind wings. The larvae of this species feeds on watercress but tends to be inactive during the day. If threatened it will mimic a twig dropping to the ground. The adult moths are on the wing from October to March and are said to be attracted to white rātā. The white markings on the forewing of the adults are variable in appearance.

<i>Xanthorhoe bulbulata</i> Species of moth endemic to New Zealand

Xanthorhoe bulbulata is a species of moth in the family Geometridae. It is endemic to New Zealand. It is classified as critically endangered by the Department of Conservation.

<i>Asaphodes cataphracta</i> Species of moth

Asaphodes cataphracta is a moth in the family Geometridae. It is endemic to New Zealand and is found in the South Island. This species prefers grassy or tussock covered mountain side slopes as habitat. The adults of this species are on the wing from December until March. The larvae of A. cataphracta is known to consume native mountain buttercups (Ranunculaceae).

<i>Asaphodes chionogramma</i> Species of moth endemic to New Zealand

Asaphodes chionogramma is a moth in the family Geometridae. It is endemic to New Zealand and found in both the North and South Islands. This species inhabits the lower slopes of mountains in valleys with native forest at altitudes of between 2000 and 3000 ft. The adults of this species are on the wing in December and January.

<i>Asaphodes chlamydota</i> Species of moth

Asaphodes chlamydota is a moth in the family Geometridae. It is endemic to New Zealand, and can be found in the lower part of the North Island and in the South Island. It inhabits native forest and shrublands. The larvae of this species feeds on native Clematis plants including Clematis afoliata. Adults are on the wing from November to April and are regarded as having intermedia flight powers.

<i>Gingidiobora subobscurata</i> Species of moth

Gingidiobora subobscurata is a species of moth in the family Crambidae. It is endemic to New Zealand. This species has been classified as "At Risk, Declining" by the Department of Conservation.

<i>Asaphodes helias</i> Species of moth

Asaphodes helias is a species of moth in the family Geometridae. It is endemic to New Zealand. It has been found in the middle and southern parts of the South Island. This species frequents tussock and scrubby habitat. The host plants of the larvae of this species include Cardamine and Ranunculus species. They have also been witnessed feeing on exotic buttercup species in the genus Bellis. Adults are on the wing in January and February.

<i>Asaphodes limonodes</i> Species of moth

Asaphodes limonodes is a species of moth in the family Geometridae. It is endemic to New Zealand and is found in both the North and South Islands. This species inhabits damp native forest. Adults are on the wing from November until March.

<i>Orthoclydon chlorias</i> Species of moth

Orthoclydon chlorias is a species of moth in the family Geometridae. It is endemic to New Zealand.

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

Tingena chloritis is a species of moth in the family Oecophoridae. It is endemic to New Zealand and has been found in the South Island. Larvae of this species feed on leaf litter. The adults of this species are light flyers and are attracted to light.

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

Tingena epimylia is a species of moth in the family Oecophoridae. It is endemic to New Zealand and is found in both the North and the South Islands. This species is similar in appearance to Tingena contextella as it too has a mottled appearance, but T. epimylia can be distinguished as it is smaller in size, slightly narrower wings, and has a more grey appearance and a grey head. This species inhabits native beech forests at altitudes between 1500 and 2000 ft and in particular has an affinity for Nothofagus solandri.

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

Tingena horaea is a species of moth in the family Oecophoridae. It is endemic to New Zealand and have been observed in both the North and South Islands. The adults are on the wing in January.

<i>Asaphodes nephelias</i> Species of moth

Asaphodes nephelias is a moth in the family Geometridae. It is endemic to New Zealand and has been observed in the South Island. The preferred habitat of this species is alpine tussock grasslands above native forest and in wetlands. The adults of this species are on the wing from January to March and are day flying. The female has brachypterous wings.

<i>Asaphodes omichlias</i> Species of moth

Asaphodes omichlias is a moth in the family Geometridae. It is endemic to New Zealand and has been observed in both the North and South Islands. This species inhabits rocky, open country in high mountains. Adults are on the wing in January and February. The appearance of the adult of this species is variable with some specimens having a paler and more grey appearance than the more usual brown appearance.

<i>Asaphodes prasinias</i> Species of moth endemic to New Zealand

Asaphodes prasinias is a moth in the family Geometridae. It is endemic to New Zealand and has been found on both the North and South Islands. This species inhabits native forest including beech forest and subalpine scrub. The range of this species has reduced as this species is regarded as being locally extinct in the previously inhabited open non-forest habitats around Invercargill. Adults are on the wing from November to January.

<i>Xanthorhoe orophylloides</i> Species of moth endemic to New Zealand

Xanthorhoe orophylloides is a moth of the family Geometridae. It was first described by George Hudson in 1909 and is endemic to New Zealand. This species is found in the subantarctic islands including at the Auckland Islands and at Campbell Island.

References

  1. 1 2 "Xanthorhoe orophyla (Meyrick, 1883)". New Zealand Organisms Register. Landcare Research New Zealand Ltd. Retrieved 13 January 2018.
  2. ↑ Meyrick, Edward (1883). "Monograph of New Zealand Geometrina". New Zealand Journal of Science. 1: 526–531 – via Biodiversity Heritage Library.
  3. ↑ Meyrick, Edward (1884). "A Monograph of the New Zealand Geometrina". Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute. 16: 49–113 – via Biodiversity Heritage Library.
  4. 1 2 3 4 George Vernon Hudson (1898), New Zealand moths and butterflies (Macro-lepidoptera) , Illustrator: George Hudson, London, pp. 58–59, doi:10.5962/BHL.TITLE.7912, OCLC   980865393, Wikidata   Q19073637
  5. ↑ Edward Meyrick (December 1917). "Revision of New Zealand Notodontina". Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute. 49: 258. ISSN   1176-6158. Wikidata   Q110727829.
  6. ↑ George Vernon Hudson (1928), The butterflies and moths of New Zealand, Illustrator: George Hudson, Wellington, p. 110, OCLC   25449322, Wikidata   Q58593286
  7. 1 2 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.
  8. ↑ Gordon, Dennis P., ed. (2010). New Zealand inventory of biodiversity: Kingdom animalia : chaetognatha, ecdysozoa, ichnofossils. Vol. 2. p. 460. ISBN   978-1-877257-93-3. OCLC   973607714. OL   25288394M. Wikidata   Q45922947.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 David Edward Gaskin (1966). "The butterflies and common moths of New Zealand". New Zealand: 134–135. Wikidata   Q115000559.
  10. 1 2 Barratt, B. I. P.; Patrick, B. H. (1 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.
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.