Antiscopa acompa

This species was first named Scoparia acompa by Edward Meyrick in 1884.[4][2] In 1885 Meyrick gave a detailed description of the species using specimens collected near Lake Wakatipu at 1,200 feet.[5] George Hudson discussed and illustrated this species under the name Scoparia acompa in his 1928 book The butterflies and moths of New Zealand.[6] In 1964 Eugene Munroe placed this species in the genus Antiscopa.[7] This placement was accepted by John S. Dugdale in 1988.[2] The male holotype, collected at Lake Wakatipu, is held at the Natural History Museum, London.[2]

Observation of live A. acompa.

Antiscopa acompa

In 1885 Meyrick gave a detailed description of the species as follows:

Male. — 17+1⁄2-19 mm. Head, antennae, and thorax ochreous-fuscous, shoulders suffusedly dark fuscous ; antennas deeply dentate, ciliations 2⁄3. Palpi 3, ochreous-fuscous irrorated with blackish, internally and on basal joint white. Abdomen whitish-ochreous. Legs whitish-ochreous, irrorated with dark fuscous, tibiaa and tarsi banded with dark fuscous. Forewings triangular, costa gently arched, apex round-pointed, hindmargin almost straight, oblique ; ochreous-fuscous ; base irrorated with dark fuscous ; first line very slender, obscure, whitish, posteriorly finely blackish-margined, not oblique, somewhat curved, sinuate inwards above inner margin ; space between first and second lines fuscous, irrorated with dark fuscous, with a few pale scales ; orbicular and claviform both round, ochreous-brown, obscurely blackish-margined, touching first line ; reniform 8-shaped, white, suffusedly blackish-margined; second line very slender, obscure, whitish, anteriorly finely blackish-margined, rather abruptly curved above middle ; subterminal obsolete ; a slender interrupted white hindmarginal line : cilia ochreous-whitish, witb two dark grey lines. Hindwings 1+1⁄3, whitish-grey ; lunule, postmedian line and a hindmarginal line darker grey, distinct ; cilia whitish, with a dark grey interrupted line.[5]

Meyrick regarded this species as distinctive as a result of its forewing colouration and markings.[5] However this species is very similar in appearance to Antiscopa epicomia but can be distinguished as A. acompa has a thicker antemedian forewing line.

Lake Wakatipu, type locality of A. acompa.

This species is endemic to New Zealand.[8][1] It has been collected in both the North and South Islands.

This species inhabits native forest.[6]

Adults have been recorded on wing from October to February.[5][9] Adults of this species are attracted to light.