Orthoclydon pseudostinaria

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Orthoclydon pseudostinaria
Female
Male

Nationally Critical (NZ TCS)[1]
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Geometridae
Genus: Orthoclydon
Species:
O. pseudostinaria
Binomial name
Orthoclydon pseudostinaria
(Hudson, 1918)[2]
Synonyms
  • Xanthorhoe pseudostinaria Hudson, 1918

Orthoclydon pseudostinaria is a species of moth in the family Geometridae. It is endemic to New Zealand. It is classified as critically endangered by the Department of Conservation.

Taxonomy[edit]

This species was first described by George Vernon Hudson in 1918 under the name Xanthorhoe pseudostinaria.[3][4] Hudson subsequently placed the species within the genus Orthoclydon.[5]

Description[edit]

Hudson described the species as follows:

The expansion of the wings is 1+18 inches. The fore wings are rather broad with the apex very slightly projecting and the termen slightly bowed ; cream-coloured with bright brown markings ; there is a narrow line along the costa ; a faint slightly curved line on the inner edge of the median band ; a small blackish discal dot; a straight, oblique, very strongly marked line from near the apex to the dorsum at 34, and a very faint wavy subterminal line ; a dark brown terminal line is situated below the apex, where the cilia are also dark brown. The hind wings are cream-coloured with a conspicuous brown line across the middle and very faint traces of one basal and two subterminal lines. Except as above indicated the cilia of all the wings are cream-coloured.[3]

Distribution[edit]

Orthoclydon pseudostinaria is endemic to New Zealand.[2][6] Hudson first collected the species at Otira.[3] The moth was subsequently also found to be present at Gouland Downs near Nelson as well as in the Nelson district, Mount Grey and White Rock in Canterbury.[5]

Plant hosts[edit]

The plant host of O. pseudostinaria is unknown. Given the rarity of the moth species it has been hypothesized that the host plant is also uncommon.[7]

Conservation status[edit]

In 1928 Hudson regarded this species as being very rare[5] and this moth is now classified under the New Zealand Threat Classification system as being Nationally Critical.[1]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b Hoare, R.J.B.; Dugdale, J.S.; Edwards, E.D.; Gibbs, G.W.; Patrick, B.H.; Hitchmough, R.A.; Rolfe, J.R. (2017). Conservation status of New Zealand butterflies and moths (Lepidoptera), 2015 (PDF). Wellington, New Zealand: New Zealand Department of Conservation. p. 5. ISBN 9781988514383.
  2. ^ a b "Orthoclydon pseudostinaria (Hudson, 1918)". www.nzor.org.nz. Landcare Research New Zealand Ltd. Retrieved 30 April 2018.
  3. ^ a b c Hudson, George Vernon (1918). "Descriptions of new species of lepidoptera from New Zealand". The Entomologist's Monthly Magazine. series 3: vol. 4: 61–63. ISSN 0013-8908. Retrieved 30 April 2018 – via Biodiversity Heritage Library.
  4. ^ Dugdale, J. S. (1988). "Lepidoptera - annotated catalogue, and keys to family-group taxa" (PDF). Fauna of New Zealand. 14: 186. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 July 2019. Retrieved 15 May 2018.
  5. ^ a b c Hudson, G. V. (1928). The Butterflies and Moths of New Zealand. Wellington: Ferguson & Osborn Ltd. p. 107.
  6. ^ Gordon, Dennis P., ed. (2010). New Zealand inventory of biodiversity: Kingdom animalia: chaetognatha, ecdysozoa, ichnofossils. Vol. 2. p. 459. ISBN 978-1-877257-93-3. OCLC 973607714. OL 25288394M. Wikidata Q45922947.
  7. ^ Patrick, Brian; Dugdale, John S. (2000). Conservation status of the New Zealand Lepidoptera (PDF). Wellington, New Zealand: Department of Conservation. pp. 1–20. ISBN 0478218672. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2017-05-01. Retrieved 2018-05-04.