Ericodesma aerodana

Ericodesma aerodana is a species of moth of the family Tortricidae. It is endemic to New Zealand. This species is classified as "At Risk, Declining" by the Department of Conservation.

Ericodesma aerodana
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Arthropoda
Class:
Insecta
Order:
Lepidoptera
Family:
Tortricidae
Genus:
Ericodesma
Species:
E. aerodana
Binomial name
Ericodesma aerodana
(Meyrick, 1881)[1]
Synonyms
  • Tortrix aerodana Meyrick, 1881
  • Tortrix indigestana Meyrick, 1881

Taxonomy

This moth was first described by Edward Meyrick in 1881 using specimens collected in Hamilton in January.[2] He named the species Tortrix aerodana.[2] George Vernon Hudson discussed and illustrated this species in his 1928 book under the names Tortrix indigestana as well as T. aerodana.[1][3] In 1971 John S. Dugdale assigned T. aerodana to the genus Ericodesma.[4] The lectotype specimen is held at the Natural History Museum, London.[1]

Description

Meyrick described the moth as follows:

♂︎ ​4 3⁄4"-​5 1⁄4". Head, palpi, and thorax whitish-grey mixed with dark grey. Antennae dark fuscous-grey, sometimes with whitish annulations. Abdomen light grey, anal tuft whitish. Legs grey-whitish, anterior and middle tibiae and tarsi suffused with dark fuscous. Forewings narrow, costa slightly arched, hindmargin very obliquely rounded ; dark grey, irrorated with ashy-whitish and black scales ; sometimes there is a distinct ochreous slender oblique fascia from middle of costa to inner margin before anal angle, and costal spot at three-fourths, but these are often imperceptible ; cilia whitish-grey mixed with darker. Hindwings dark grey ; cilia paler, with a dark grey line near base. ♀︎ ​6 1⁄2"-7". Head, etcetera, as in male. Abdomen whitish-ochreous. Forewings with costa somewhat more arched towards base, hindmargin very oblique ; paler than in male, without trace of fascia : cilia whitish. Hindwings whitish, posteriorly whitish-grey ; cilia white, with a faint grey line near base.[2]

Distribution

This species is endemic to New Zealand.[5][6] The species can be found in Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Taupo, Taranaki, Whanganui, Wellington, Marlborough & Marlborough Sounds, Kaikoura, Mid Canterbury.[7]

Biology, behaviour and habitat

Adults are on wing from October to January.[8] Adult moths are active at twilight.[9] E. areodana inhabits active sand dunes.[10]

Host species

The larvae feed on Pimelea prostrata.[8]

Conservation Status

This species has been classified as having the "At Risk, Declining" conservation status under the New Zealand Threat Classification System.[9] The survival of this moth is dependent upon the survival of it host plants.[7] These are under threat as a result of habitat loss.[7] The moth and its host plant is also under threat by the sea spurge.[11]

References
  1. Dugdale, J. S. (1988). "Lepidoptera - annotated catalogue, and keys to family-group taxa" (PDF). Fauna of New Zealand. 14: 117. Retrieved 30 April 2018.
  2. Meyrick, Edward (1881). "Descriptions of Australian Micro-Lepidoptera". Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales. 6 (21–24): 410–536. doi:10.5962/bhl.part.11873. hdl:2027/uc2.ark:/13960/t0js9jt3x. ISSN 0370-047X – via Biodiversity Heritage Library.
  3. Hudson, G. V. (1928). The Butterflies and Moths of New Zealand. Wellington: Ferguson & Osborn Ltd. p. 227.
  4. Dugdale, J. S. (10 November 1971). "Entomology of the Aucklands and other Islands south of New Zealand: Lepidoptera, excluding non-Crambine Pyralidae" (PDF). Pacific Insects Monograph. 27: 55–172 – via Bishop Museum.
  5. Gordon, Dennis P., ed. (2010). New Zealand inventory of biodiversity. Volume two. Kingdom animalia : chaetognatha, ecdysozoa, ichnofossils. Vol. 2. Christchurch, N.Z.: Canterbury University Press. p. 464. ISBN 9781877257933. OCLC 973607714.
  6. "Ericodesma aerodana (Meyrick, 1881)". www.nzor.org.nz. Landcare Research New Zealand Ltd. Retrieved 9 May 2018.
  7. Patrick, Brian; Dugdale, John S. (2000). Conservation status of the New Zealand Lepidoptera (PDF). Wellington, New Zealand: Department of Conservation. p. 22. ISBN 0478218672.
  8. Patrick, Brian (1994). "Lepidoptera of Kaitorete Spit, Canterbury". New Zealand Entomologist. 17: 52–63. CiteSeerX 10.1.1.580.6402. doi:10.1080/00779962.1994.9721985.
  9. 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). New Zealand Threat Classification Series. 20: 7.
  10. "Active sand dunes". Manaaki Whenua - Landcare Research. Retrieved 2018-05-09.
  11. Duthie, Catherine. "Risk analysis: sea spurge - MPI". 2012. Retrieved 9 May 2018.


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