Batrachedra eucola

Batrachedra eucola is a species of moth in the family Batrachedridae. It is endemic to New Zealand.

Batrachedra eucola
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Arthropoda
Class:
Insecta
Order:
Lepidoptera
Family:
Batrachedridae
Genus:
Batrachedra
Species:
B. eucola
Binomial name
Batrachedra eucola

Taxonomy

This species was first described by Edward Meyrick in 1889.[2] George Hudson discussed and illustrated this species in his 1928 publication The Butterflies and Moths of New Zealand.[3] The hototype specimen of this species was collected near the Bealey River in North Canterbury.[4] This specimen is now held at the Natural History Museum, London.[4]

Description

Meyrick described the species as follows:

♂︎. 19mm. Head and antennae whitish-ochreous. Palpi whitish-ochreous, terminal joint and apex of second more brownish, second joint with scales projecting in front into an angular tuft. Thorax pale brownish-ochreous. Abdomen whitish-ochreous. Legs dark fuscous, apex of joints whitish-ochreous. Forewings elongate, very narrow, parallel-sided, long-pointed ; veins 6 and 7 stalked ; whitish-ochreous, somewhat sprinkled with brownish-ochreous, towards costa broadly suffused with brownish-ochreous, costal edge fuscous towards base ; a dark fuscous dot in disc before middle, a second on fold obliquely before first, and a third, larger and somewhat transverse, in disc before ​3⁄4 : cilia whitish-ochreous, beneath anal angle greyish-tinged, on costa marked with three dark fuscous dots, with indications of two dark fuscous lines at apex only. Hindwings with all veins present ; grey, slightly ochreous-tinged ; cilia light grey, slightly ochreous-tinged, on costa whitish-ochreous.[2]

B. eucola can be easily distinguished from its close relatives as it larger in size, has a pronounced palpi tuft and has full neuration of its hindwings.[2]

Distribution

This species is endemic to New Zealand.[5][1] Along with northern Canterbury, this species has also been collected at Whangarei,[6] National Park,[7] Wellington,[6] Aorere River near Nelson,[3] and Hope Arm, in Fiordland.[8]

Biology and behaviour

This species is on the wing in January and February.[3] This species frequents scrubland habitat.[7][9]

References
  1. 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.
  2. Meyrick, Edward (1889). "Descriptions of New Zealand Micro-lepidoptera". Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute. 21: 154–188 – via Biodiversity Heritage Library.
  3. Hudson, G. V. (1928). The Butterflies and Moths of New Zealand. Wellington: Ferguson & Osborn Ltd. p. 304. OCLC 25449322.
  4. Dugdale, J. S. (1988). "Lepidoptera - annotated catalogue, and keys to family-group taxa" (PDF). Fauna of New Zealand. 14: 1–264. ISBN 0-477-02518-8. ISSN 0111-5383 – via Landcare Research New Zealand Ltd.
  5. "Batrachedra eucola Meyrick, 1889". www.nzor.org.nz. Landcare Research New Zealand Ltd. Retrieved 2017-01-19.
  6. Hudson, G. V. (1939). A supplement to the butterflies and moths of New Zealand. Wellington: Ferguson & Osborn Ltd. p. 454. OCLC 221041540. Retrieved 23 May 2018.
  7. Hudson, George Vernon (1950). Fragments of New Zealand entomology : a popular account of all the New Zealand cicadas : the natural history of the New Zealand glow-worm : a second supplement to The butterflies and moths of New Zealand, and notes on many other native insects. Wellington, N.Z.: Ferguson & Osborn. p. 106. OCLC 154155584.
  8. Clarke, C. E. (1933). "The Lepidoptera of the Te Anau-Manapouri lakes districts". Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute. 63 (2): 112–132.
  9. Patterson, S. C. (1930). "List of Lepidoptera of Whangarei". Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute. 61: 554–561.


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