Orthenches semifasciata

Orthenches semifasciata is a moth of the family Plutellidae. It is endemic to New Zealand.

Orthenches semifasciata
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Arthropoda
Class:
Insecta
Order:
Lepidoptera
Family:
Plutellidae
Genus:
Orthenches
Species:
O. semifasciata
Binomial name
Orthenches semifasciata

Taxonomy

This species was first described by Alfred Philpott in 1915. He used a female specimen collected by C. C. Fenwick which was taken in Queenstown in January.[2][3] George Hudson discussed and illustrated this species in his 1928 book The Butterflies and Moths of New Zealand.[4] In this book Hudson synonymised O. similis with O. semifasciata despite Philpott providing distinguishing features for these two species.[4] In 1988 John S. Dugdale disagreed with this synonymising and separately listed the two species.[3] The holotype specimen of O. semifasciata is held at the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa.[3]

Description

The wingspan is 16–18 mm. The head, palpi, and thorax are white mixed with brown and the abdomen is grey. The forewings are elongate, the costa gently arched, the apex subacute, the termen rounded and oblique. They are white, irrorated with shining dark brown, especially on dorsal half. The markings are shining dark brown. The hindwings are light fuscous-grey.

Distribution

This species is endemic to New Zealand.[5] Along with the type locality of Queenstown this species has also been collected near Lake Hakapoua in Fiordland National Park,[2] on Mount Titiroa in Fiordland,[6] at Rastus Burn Basin in The Remarkables at an altitude of 1640m,[7] and around Aoraki/ Mount Cook.[8]

Biology and behaviour

This species has been recorded as being on the wing in January and February.[2][7]

Habitat and hosts

The larvae of O. semifasciata feed on Dracophyllum species.[9]

References
  1. Lepidoptera Genera of New Zealand
  2. Philpott, Alfred (12 July 1915). "Descriptions of new species of Lepidoptera". Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute. 47: 192–201 – via Biodiversity Heritage Library.
  3. Dugdale, John S. (1988-09-23). "Lepidoptera - annotated catalogue, and keys to family-group taxa" (PDF). Fauna of New Zealand. 14: 1–264.
  4. Hudson, G. V. (1928). The Butterflies and Moths of New Zealand. Wellington: Ferguson & Osborn Ltd. p. 329.
  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. 463. ISBN 9781877257933. OCLC 973607714.
  6. Hoare, R. J. B.; Millar, I. R.; Richardson, S. J. (2016-01-02). "The insect fauna of granite sand plains: a naturally rare ecosystem in New Zealand". New Zealand Entomologist. 39 (1): 1–14. doi:10.1080/00779962.2015.1108159. ISSN 0077-9962.
  7. Patrick, Brian H.; Lyford, Brian M.; Ward, John B.; Barratt, Barbara I.P. (December 1992). "Lepidoptera and other insects of the Rastus Burn Basin, The Remarkables, Otago". Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand. 22 (4): 265–278. doi:10.1080/03036758.1992.10420820. ISSN 0303-6758.
  8. Philpott, Alfred (30 August 1930). "The Lepidoptera of Mount Cook District, with Descriptions of New Species" (PDF). Transactions and Proceedings of the Royal Society of New Zealand. 61: 419–439 – via National Library of New Zealand.
  9. "Orthenches semifasciata Philpott, 1915 Herbivore report". plant-synz.landcareresearch.co.nz. Retrieved 2 August 2019.


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