Planotortrix avicenniae

Planotortrix avicenniae is a species of moth of the family Tortricidae. It is endemic to New Zealand. It is found in the North Island and its larvae feed on mangrove trees.

Planotortrix avicenniae
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Arthropoda
Class:
Insecta
Order:
Lepidoptera
Family:
Tortricidae
Genus:
Planotortrix
Species:
P. avicenniae
Binomial name
Planotortrix avicenniae
Synonyms
  • Planotortrix Type M
  • "Planotortrix 1" "M"

Taxonomy and etymology

This species was first described in 1990 by John S. Dugdale.[1][2] The holotype specimen in held at the New Zealand Arthropod Collection. The species name refers to Avicennia, the genus of the larval host plant.[2]

Description

Adults are charcoal brown with an obscure pattern, sometimes consisting of ash or ochreous scales. The female of the species can be difficult to distinguish from the females of P. excessana and P. octo.[2] However the larvae of P. avicenniae are distinctive.[2] Unlike the green headed and bodied larvae of P. excessana and P. octo they are grey greenish in colour with a brownish head.[2]

Distribution

This species is endemic to New Zealand.[1][3] It has only been observed in the North Island in Northland, Auckland, Waikato, Coromandel, and the Bay of Plenty.[2]

Biology and behaviour

The larvae of this species web together and feed on the leaves of their host plant.[4]

Habitat and host species

The larvae feed only on the mangrove tree species Avicennia marina.[4][5]

References
  1. "Planotortrix avicenniae Dugdale, 1990". www.nzor.org.nz. Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research. Retrieved 28 April 2019.
  2. Dugdale, J. S. (1990-07-01). "Reassessment of Ctenopseustis Meyrick and Planotortrix Dugdale with descriptions of two new genera (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae)". New Zealand Journal of Zoology. 17 (3): 437–465. doi:10.1080/03014223.1990.10422943.
  3. 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.
  4. "Planotortrix avicenniae Dugdale, 1990 Herbivore report". plant-synz.landcareresearch.co.nz. Retrieved 28 April 2019.
  5. Allison, Jeremy D.; Carde, Ring T., eds. (2016). Pheromone communication in moths : evolution, behavior, and application. Oakland, California: University of California Press. p. 279. ISBN 9780520964433. OCLC 935885049.
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