Heterocrossa canescens

Heterocrossa canescens is a species of moth in the family Carposinidae. It is endemic to New Zealand.

Heterocrossa canescens
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Arthropoda
Class:
Insecta
Order:
Lepidoptera
Family:
Carposinidae
Genus:
Heterocrossa
Species:
H. canescens
Binomial name
Heterocrossa canescens
(Philpott, 1930)[1]
Synonyms[2]
  • Carposina canescens Philpott, 1930

Taxonomy

This species was described by Alfred Philpott in 1930 using material he collected in February at Governor's Bush, Mount Cook and originally named Carposina canescens.[3][2] George Hudson discussed this species under that name in his 1939 book A supplement to the butterflies and moths of New Zealand.[4] In 1978 Elwood Zimmerman argued that the genus Heterocrassa should not be a synonym of Carposina as the genitalia of the species in this genus are distinctive.[5] Subsequently John S. Dugdale placed this species within the genus Heterocrossa.[2][6][7] The holotype specimen is held at the Canterbury Museum.[2]

Description

Philpott described the species as follows:

♂ ♀. 15–17 mm. Head, palpi and thorax whitish-grey. Antennae grey, ciliations in ♂ 4. Abdomen whitish-ochreous. Legs, anterior and middle pair fuscous, tarsi annulated with ochreous, posterior pair ochreous-white. Forewings, costa moderately arched, apex rounded, termen straight, oblique; grey, faintly greenish tinged; a black basal area on costa reaching half across wing and indicated below middle by a few raised black scales; 5 or 6 black spots on costa between ​1⁄3 and apex; an oblique black bar of raised scales beneath 1st costal spot, outwardly margined with ochreous and white; 3 or 4 ring-like spots and some scattered blackish and ochreous scales in disc; an obscure interrupted blackish subterminal fascia; termen thickly sprinkled with blackish scales: fringes fuscous-grey sprinkled with white. Hindwings shining grey, in ♂ with ochreous area along costa from base to ​1⁄2 fringes ochreous-white.[3]

Distribution

This species is endemic to New Zealand.[6][1] Other than the type locality, this species has been found at the junction of the Bealey and Waimakariri Rivers.[4]

Biology and behaviour

The adult moths of this species are on the wing in November and January to March.[8]

Host species

The larvae of this species feed on the fruits and flowers of Gaultheria species.[8][9]

References
  1. "Heterocrossa canescens (Philpott, 1930)". www.nzor.org.nz. Landcare Research New Zealand Ltd. Retrieved 9 June 2018.
  2. Dugdale, J. S. (1988). "Lepidoptera - annotated catalogue, and keys to family-group taxa" (PDF). Fauna of New Zealand. 14: 131. Retrieved 1 June 2018.
  3. Philpott, Alfred (1930). "The Lepidoptera of Mount Cook, with descriptions of new species". Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute. 61: 419–439.
  4. Hudson, G. V. (1939). A supplement to the butterflies and moths of New Zealand. Wellington: Ferguson & Osborn Ltd. p. 455. OCLC 221041540. Retrieved 9 June 2018.
  5. Zimmerman, Elwood (1978). Insects of Hawaii. 9. Hawaii: University of Hawaii Press. p. 797. hdl:10125/7338. ISBN 9780824804879.
  6. 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. 457. ISBN 9781877257933. OCLC 973607714.
  7. "Heterocrossa canescens (Philpott, 1930)". www.nzinverts.landcareresearch.co.nz. 2018. Retrieved 9 June 2018.
  8. White, E. G. (1991). "The changing abundance of Moths in a Tussock grassland, 1962–1989, and 50- TO 70-YEAR trends" (PDF). New Zealand Journal of Ecology: 5–22.
  9. "PlantSynz – Invertebrate herbivore biodiversity assessment tool: Database". plant-synz.landcareresearch.co.nz. Retrieved 9 June 2018.


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