Austrocidaria arenosa

Austrocidaria arenosa is a species of moth in the family Geometridae. It is endemic to New Zealand. This moth is classified as "At Risk, Declining" by the Department of Conservation.

Austrocidaria arenosa
Male
Female
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Arthropoda
Class:
Insecta
Order:
Lepidoptera
Family:
Geometridae
Tribe:
Xanthorhoini
Genus:
Austrocidaria
Species:
A. arenosa
Binomial name
Austrocidaria arenosa
(Howes, 1911)[1]
Synonyms[2]
  • Eucymatoge arenosus Howes, 1911
  • Eucymatoge arenosa (Howes, 1911)

Taxonomy

This species was first described by George Howes in 1911 using specimens collected at Mr O'Connors house at Titahi Bay, Porirua and given the name Eucymatoge arenosus.[3] George Vernon Hudson discussed and illustrated this species in his 1928 publication.[4] Hudson changed its epithet to arenosa.[4] In 1988 John S. Dugdale discussed this change and assigned the species to a new genus Austrocidaria.[2] The holotype specimen is held at the Natural History Museum, London.[2]

Description

Howes described the adult moths of the species as follows:

Male and female, 26 lines. Head and thorax whitish-ochre, slightly touched with grey. Abdomen whitish-ochre with black bar interrupted in centre on apex of all segments. All wings whitish-ochreous, crossed by waved darker striae. A slight darker suffusion from apex towards centre of forewing. Cilia greyish-white, with a darker-grey line at base. A series of minute black marks along veins and around termen.[3]

Distribution

This species is endemic to New Zealand.[1][5] As well as the type locality of Titahi Bay, A. arenosa has also been recorded as occurring at Moeraki near Oamaru,[4] at Paekakariki,[6] and near Cass.[7]

Biology and life cycle

This species is attracted to blossoms, sugar and light.[3] Adult moths are on the wing between November and March.[3]

Conservation status

This moth is classified under the New Zealand Threat Classification system as being "At Risk, Declining".[8]

References
  1. Gordon, Dennis P., ed. (2010). New Zealand Inventory of Biodiversity. Volume two. Kingdom Animalia: Chaetognatha, Ecdysozoa, Ichnofossils. 2. Christchurch, N.Z.: Canterbury University Press. p. 459. ISBN 9781877257933. OCLC 973607714.
  2. Dugdale, J. S. (1988). "Lepidoptera - annotated catalogue, and keys to family-group taxa" (PDF). Fauna of New Zealand. 14: 175. Retrieved 8 May 2018.
  3. Howes, G. (1911). "New species of Lepidoptera". Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute. 43: 127–128 – via Biodiversity Heritage Library.
  4. Hudson, G. V. (1928). The Butterflies and Moths of New Zealand. Wellington: Ferguson & Osborn Ltd. p. 97.
  5. "Austrocidaria arenosa (Howes, 1911)". www.nzor.org.nz. Landcare Research New Zealand Ltd. Retrieved 2018-05-08.
  6. Hudson, George Vernon (1939). A supplement to the butterflies and moths of New Zealand. Wellington: Ferguson & Osborn. p. 405. OCLC 9742724.
  7. White, E.G. (1991). "The changing abundance of moths in a tussock grassland, 1962-1989, and 50-to 70-years trends" (PDF). New Zealand Journal of Ecology. 1991: 5–22.
  8. Hoare, R.J.B.; Dugdale, J.S.; Edwards, E.D.; Gibbs, G.W.; Patrick, B.H.; Hitchmough, R.A.; Rolfe, J.R. (2017). Conservation status of New Zealand butterflies and moths (Lepidoptera), 2015 (PDF). Wellington, New Zealand: New Zealand Department of Conservation. p. 7. ISBN 9781988514383.
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