Zelleria sphenota
| Zelleria sphenota | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Yponomeutidae |
| Genus: | Zelleria |
| Species: | Z. sphenota
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| Binomial name | |
| Zelleria sphenota | |
| Synonyms[3] | |
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Zelleria sphenota is a species of moth in the family Yponomeutidae. This species is endemic to New Zealand. It is classified as "At Risk, Declining'" by the Department of Conservation.
Taxonomy[edit]
This species was first described by Edward Meyrick in 1889 and named Hofmannia sphenota.[4][3] Meyrick used a specimen he collected from Riccarton Bush in August.[3][5] George Hudson discussed the species in his 1928 book The Butterflies and Moths of New Zealand using the name Zelleria sphenota.[6] The holotype specimen of this species is held at the Natural History Museum, London.[3] The genus level classification of this moth is currently regarded as unsatisfactory.[2] As such the species is also known as Zelleria (s.l.) sphenota.[2]
Description[edit]
The larvae of this species are green in colour.[7]
Meyrick described the male adult of the species as follows:
♂ 13mm. Head and antennae light ochreous-grey. Palpi grey. Thorax light ochreous. Abdomen whitish-ochreous. Legs fuscous, posterior pair ochreous-whitish. Forewings very elongate, very narrow parallel-sided, long-pointed, acute ; pale ochreous, thinly and irregularly sprinkled with dark fuscous and whitish ; basal half of costa dotted with black ; a moderately-broad ill-defined cloudy-white streak along inner margin from base to anal angle, pointed at extremities, interrupted at 2⁄3 by a small spot of ground-colour ; a cloudy inwardly-oblique dark fuscous mark at 1⁄3 from near costa to near inner margin: cilia ochreous-grey-whitish, round apex ochreous, with base white, a grey line, and three cloudy dark grey bars. Hindwings pale whitish-grey; cilia ochreous-grey-whitish.[4]
Distribution[edit]
This species is endemic to New Zealand.[2][8] This species has occurred in Taupō, Nelson, Marlborough Sounds, Mid Canterbury and Southland.[5] However it is likely extinct in the North Island.[5]
Behaviour and life cycle[edit]
Initially the larvae of this species are leaf miners but as they mature they mine the stems of their host plants, finally moving on to consuming the leaves and flowers.[7] They prepare for pupation by forming a white silk cocoon that is normally attached to the stem of their host plant.[7] This stage can last as little as ten days.[7] Adults emerge between the months of August and February.[7]
Host plants[edit]
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The host plants of this species are native leafy mistletoe.[5][9] These include the species Ileostylus micranthus, Peraxilla colensoi and P. tetrapetala.[10][7]
Conservation status[edit]
This moth is classified under the New Zealand Threat Classification system as being "At Risk, Declining".[1] This is as a result of the decline of its host species brought about through the browsing of possums.[5]
References[edit]
- ^ 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. 7. ISBN 9781988514383.
- ^ a b c d "Zelleria sphenota (Meyrick, 1889)". Landcare Research New Zealand Ltd. Retrieved 15 May 2018.
- ^ a b c d Dugdale, J. S. (1988). "Lepidoptera-annotated catalogue, and keys to family-group taxa" (PDF). Fauna of New Zealand. 14: 1–264 – via Landcare Research New Zealand Ltd.
- ^ a b Meyrick, Edward (1889). "Descriptions of New Zealand Micro-Lepidoptera". Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute. 21: 154–188 – via Biodiversity Heritage Library.
- ^ a b c d e Patrick, Brian; Dugdale, John S. (2000). Conservation status of the New Zealand lepidoptera (PDF). Wellington, N.Z.: Department of Conservation, New Zealand. p. 33. ISBN 978-0478218671. OCLC 154670803.
- ^ Hudson, G. V. (1928). The Butterflies and Moths of New Zealand. Wellington: Ferguson & Osborn Ltd. p. 321.
- ^ a b c d e f De Lange, Peter J.; Norton, David A., eds. (1997). New Zealand's loranthaceous mistletoes : proceedings of a workshop hosted by Threatened Species Unit, Department of Conservation, Cass, 17 -20 July 1995. Wellington, N.Z.: Department of Conservation. ISBN 978-0478019063. OCLC 154315406.
- ^ Gordon, Dennis P., ed. (2010). New Zealand inventory of biodiversity: Kingdom animalia: chaetognatha, ecdysozoa, ichnofossils. Vol. 2. p. 465. ISBN 978-1-877257-93-3. OCLC 973607714. OL 25288394M. Wikidata Q45922947.
- ^ Bach, Catherine E.; Kelly, Dave (2004). "Effects of forest edges on herbivory in a New Zealand mistletoe, Alepis flavida" (PDF). New Zealand Journal of Ecology. 28 (2): 195–205.
- ^ Sullivan, Jon J.; Burrows, Colin J.; Dugdale, John S. (September 1995). "Insect predation of seeds of native New Zealand woody plants in some central South Island localities". New Zealand Journal of Botany. 33 (3): 355–364. doi:10.1080/0028825X.1995.10412962.