Pseudocoremia albafasciata

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Pseudocoremia albafasciata
Male
Female

Nationally Endangered (NZ TCS)[1]
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Geometridae
Genus: Pseudocoremia
Species:
P. albafasciata
Binomial name
Pseudocoremia albafasciata
(Philpott, 1915)[2]
Synonyms[3]
  • Selidosema albafasciata Philpott, 1915
  • Selidosema albifasciata (Philpott, 1915)

Pseudocoremia albafasciata, also known as the flash moth, is a species of moth in the family Geometridae. It is endemic to New Zealand. It is classified as Nationally Endangered by the Department of Conservation.

Taxonomy[edit]

This species was first described by Alfred Philpott in 1915 from specimens collected in Taihape in February and Feilding in March.[4] Philpott named the species Selidosema albafasciata. In 1917 Edward Meyrick, when listing the species, attempted to correct the spelling of the epithet to albifasciata.[5] This spelling was itself in error.[3] In 1988 John S. Dugdale assigned the species to the genus Pseudocoremia.[3] He retained the original spelling of the species epithet under the ICZN Rules, Article 32a (ii) and 32c.[3] The type specimen was collected by Augustus Hamilton[4] and is now held at the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa.[6]

Description[edit]

Philpott described the species as follows:

32-34 mm. Head and thorax ochreous mixed with brown. Antennae brown, annulated with ochreous, filiations rather short. Abdomen ochreous. Forewings moderate, triangular, costa subsinuate, termen evenly rounded, not strongly oblique ; dark greenish-fuscous with some admixture of yellowish ; markings white tinted with yellow and sparsely sprinkled with brown; a broad band at J slightly curved; median and second fasciae broad, coalescing at middle and enclosing a triangular blotch of ground-colour on costa ; sometimes throwing out a projection to middle of termen, thus interrupting the broad dark terminal area ; a terminal series of irregular blackish dots : cilia ochreous mixed with brown. Hind wings pale yellow sprinkled with fuscous ; a more or less interrupted brown terminal line: cilia yellow obscurely barred with brown.[4]

Distribution[edit]

This species is endemic to New Zealand.[7][2] It has been collected in Taihape, Fielding, as well as at Puketitiri, in the Hawkes Bay.[8]

Biology and host species[edit]

The biology and host species of this moth is unknown.[9]

Conservation status[edit]

This species has been classified under the New Zealand Threat Classification system as being Nationally Endangered.[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. 30. ISBN 9781988514383.
  2. ^ a b 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.
  3. ^ a b c d Dugdale, J. S. (1988). "Lepidoptera - annotated catalogue, and keys to family-group taxa" (PDF). Fauna of New Zealand. 14: 96 – via Landcare Research New Zealand Ltd.
  4. ^ a b c Philpott, Alfred (1915). "Descriptions of new species of Lepidoptera". Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute. 47: 192–201 – via Biodiversity Heritage Library.
  5. ^ Meyrick, Edward (1917). "Revision of New Zealand Notodontina". Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute. 49: 248–273. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
  6. ^ "Pseudocoremia albafasciata (Philpott, 1915)". collections.tepapa.govt.nz. Retrieved 2018-05-03.
  7. ^ "Pseudocoremia albafasciata (Philpott, 1915)". www.nzor.org.nz. Landcare Research New Zealand Ltd. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
  8. ^ "Pseudocoremia albafasciata (Philpott, 1915) (Species)". collections.tepapa.govt.nz. Retrieved 2018-05-03.
  9. ^ Patrick, Brian; Dugdale, John S. (2000). Conservation status of the New Zealand Lepidoptera (PDF). Wellington, New Zealand: Department of Conservation. p. 28. ISBN 0478218672.