Tingena oporaea
| Tingena oporaea | |
|---|---|
| |
| Male lectotype | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Oecophoridae |
| Genus: | Tingena |
| Species: | T. oporaea
|
| Binomial name | |
| Tingena oporaea | |
| Synonyms[2] | |
| |
Tingena oporaea is a species of moth in the family Oecophoridae.[2] It is endemic to New Zealand and has been observed in Canterbury. The perferred habitat of this species is native beech forest at altitudes of 2500 ft however it has also been collected in tussock grassland. The larvae of this species are leaf litter feeders and the adults are on the wing in January and February.
Taxonomy[edit]
This species was first described by Edward Meyrick in 1883 and named Oecophora oporaea using specimens collected at Castle Hill in mid Canterbury at an altitude of 25000 ft in January.[3][4] Meyrick went on to give a more detailed description in 1884.[4] In 1915 Meyrick placed this species within the Borkhausenia genus as a synonym of Borkhausenia apertella.[5] George Hudson discussed this species as a synonym of Borkhausenia apertella in his 1928 publication The butterflies and moths of New Zealand.[6] In 1988 J. S. Dugdale reinstated this species and placed it in the genus Tingena.[2] In doing so Dugdale pointed out that only the male lectotype and two female paralectotypes in Meyrick's series are T. oporaea.[2] The others in Meyrick's series differ in their genitalia as well as their forewing colouration.[2] The male lectotype is held at the Natural History Museum, London.[2]
Description[edit]
Meyrick originally described this species as follows:
Fore wings deep yellow, a blackish line on base of costa, sometimes three reddish fuscous discal dots ; hind wings grey ; thorax yellow.[3]
Meyrick's more detailed observation, given in 1884, is as follows:
Male, female. — 18-20 mm. Head and thorax deep ochreous-yellow. Palpi ochreous-yellow, lower 2⁄3 of second joint externally suffused with dark fuscous. Antenna grey. Abdomen grey. Anterior legs dark fuscous ; middle and posterior legs ochreous-whitish. Forewings moderate, costa moderately arched, apex rounded, hindmargin oblique, slightly rounded ; deep yellow, sometimes suffused with reddish-ochreous towards middle of inner margin, anal angle, and apex ; a short slender blackish streak along base of costa ; sometimes a reddish-fuscous dot in disc before middle, a second beyond middle, and a third on fold directly beneath first, but these are usually quite obsolete, especially the first : cilia yellow, sometimes mixed with reddish-ochreous. Hindwings grey, darker posteriorly; cilia grey.[4]
Meyrick states that this species can be distinguished from its similar appearing close relatives as it is larger, has a deeper yellow appearance to its forewings and has a yellow thorax.[4]
Distribution[edit]
This species is endemic to New Zealand and is found in Canterbury.[1][4]
Behaviour[edit]
The adults of this species are on the wing in January and February.[7]
Habitat and hosts[edit]
This species has been observed as being common amongst Nothofagus solandri.[4] This species has also been collected in tussock grassland.[7] The larvae of this species are leaf litter feeders.[7]
References[edit]
- ^ a b Gordon, Dennis P., ed. (2010). New Zealand inventory of biodiversity: Kingdom animalia: chaetognatha, ecdysozoa, ichnofossils. Vol. 2. p. 462. ISBN 978-1-877257-93-3. OCLC 973607714. OL 25288394M. Wikidata Q45922947.
- ^ a b c d e f John Stewart Dugdale (23 September 1988). "Lepidoptera - annotated catalogue, and keys to family-group taxa". Fauna of New Zealand. 14. Department of Scientific and Industrial Research: 104. doi:10.7931/J2/FNZ.14. ISSN 0111-5383. Wikidata Q45083134.
- ^ a b Edward Meyrick (September 1883). "Descriptions of New Zealand Micro-Lepidoptera.—III.—Oecophoridae". New Zealand Journal of Science. 1: 524. Wikidata Q106368126.
- ^ a b c d e f Edward Meyrick (1884). "Descriptions of New Zealand Microlepidoptera. III. Oecophoridae". Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute. 16: 40. ISSN 1176-6158. Wikidata Q63976486.
- ^ E. Meyrick (12 July 1915). "Revision of New Zealand Tineina". Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute. 47: 212. ISSN 1176-6158. Wikidata Q63123349.
- ^ George Vernon Hudson (1928), The butterflies and moths of New Zealand, Illustrator: George Hudson, Wellington: Ferguson and Osborn Limited, p. 264, LCCN 88133764, OCLC 25449322, Wikidata Q58593286
- ^ a b c Graeme White (1991). "The Changing Abundance of Moths in a Tussock Grassland, 1962- 1989, and 50-Year to 70-Year Trends" (PDF). New Zealand Journal of Ecology. 15 (1): 5–22. ISSN 0110-6465. JSTOR 24054454. Wikidata Q107569572.