Izatha manubriata

Izatha manubriata
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Oecophoridae
Genus:	Izatha
Species:	I. manubriata
Binomial name
	Izatha manubriata; Meyrick, 1923[1]

Izatha manubriata is a moth of the family Oecophoridae. It is endemic to New Zealand, where it is known from the southern South Island only.

Taxonomy

This species was first described by Edward Meyrick in 1923.[2][1] Meyrick used a specimen collected by George Hudson in forest at Ben Lomond, Lake Wakatipu in January.[2][3] Hudson discussed and illustrated the species in his 1928 book The Butterflies and Moths of New Zealand.[4] The holotype specimen is held at the Natural History Museum, London.[3]

Description

The wingspan is 24.5–27.5 mm for males and about 26 mm for females. The wing patternation of this species makes it easy to distinguish from other species in the genus Izatha that are present in the South Island.[5]

Meyrick originally described the species as follows:

♂ 26 mm. Head and thorax grey suffused with white except shoulders. Palpi white, second joint sprinkled with blackish, and with a black subapical ring, terminal joint with black median band. Abdomen grey, segmental margins whitish, anal tuft ochreous-whitish. Forewings elongate, posteriorly rather dilated, costa slightly arched, apex obtuse, termen nearly straight, oblique ; grey suffusedly irrorated with white, tinged here and there with ochreous; a small grey basal patch, edge sprinkled with blackish, acutely angulated on fold ; small blackish spots on costa at 1/3 and 3/5 ; stigmata blackish, plical beneath first discal, second discal represented by a small transverse spot from which a blackish streak runs nearly to first, a blackish dot between and above first and second discal ; an obscure angulated subterminal shade of whitish suffusion ; a marginal series of small blackish-grey spots round posterior part of costa and termen : cilia whitish with two grey shades. Hindwings grey ; cilia as in forewings.[2]

Distribution

This species is endemic to New Zealand.[6] It is likely endemic to the Otago Lakes district and adjacent ranges of Central Otago.[5][4] Along with the type locality of Ben Lomond, the species has also been collected at Mount Aurum, Bold Peak, Queenstown, Moke Lake, Lake Wakatipu, the Garvie Mountains and Pomahaka Valley.[5] Hudson regarded it as a rare species.[4]

Biology and behaviour

Adults are on wing from December to early March.[5] The larvae and biology of this species is unknown as it has never been reared.[5] Only one female specimen has been collected.[5]

Habitat and host species

Hudson stated that this species could be found near the edges of beech forest on the mountains.[4]

References

"Izatha manubriata Meyrick, 1923". www.nzor.org.nz. Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research. Retrieved 2019-06-01.
Meyrick, Edward (1923-01-01). "Descriptions of New Zealand Lepidoptera". Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute. 54: 162–169 – via Biodiversity Heritage Library.
Dugdale, J. S. (1988). "Lepidoptera - annotated catalogue, and keys to family-group taxa" (PDF). Fauna of New Zealand. 14: 95. Retrieved 2 June 2018.
Hudson, G. V. (1928). The Butterflies and Moths of New Zealand. Wellington: Ferguson & Osborn Ltd. p. 279. OCLC 25449322.
Hoare, Robert J. B.; Rhode, Birgit E. (2010-09-02). "Izatha (Insecta: Lepidoptera: Gelechioidea: Oecophoridae)" (PDF). Fauna of New Zealand. 65: 1–201.
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. 463. ISBN 9781877257933. OCLC 973607714.

External links

Image of the holotype specimen of the species