Arctesthes catapyrrha

This species was first described by Arthur Gardiner Butler in 1877 using specimens collected by James Hector and J. D. Enys and named Fidonia catapyrrha.[4] In 1884 Edward Meyrick placed this species in the newly described genus Stratonice.[5] In 1885 Meyrick replaced this preoccupied name with Arctesthes.[6] However also in 1885 Meyrick synonymised Arctesthes catapyrrha with Coremia euclidiata (now known as Chrysolarentia euclidiata).[7] In 1898 George Hudson discussed and illustrated this species under the name Lythria euclidiata, following this error made by Meyrick.[8] In 1912 George Blundell Longstaff corrected Meyrick's error.[9] In 1917 Meyrick agreed with that correction.[10] In 1928 Hudson again discussed and illustrated this species but this time, again following Meyrick, under the name Lythria catapyrrha.[11] Robin C. Craw in 1986 reinstated the genus Arctesthes and placed this species within it.[12] In 1988 J. S. Dugdale confirmed this placement and while doing so synonymised two forms, fasciata and kaikourensis, that had been previously named by Louis Beethoven Prout, into this species.[2] In 2019 Brian and Hamish Patrick as well as Robert Hoare reviewed the genus Arctesthes and again confirmed this species placement within it.[3] The male holotype specimen, collected at Castle Hill in Canterbury, is held at the Natural History Museum, London.[2]

Butler described this species as follows:

♂,♀. Primaries above whitish, clouded and banded with brown ; the principal markings are an angulated transverse subbasal dark brown band ; two central bands forming a band, its inner edge subangulated, its outer edge very irregular, projecting within the median interspaces; an interrupted submarginal brown streak; a brown apical spot, and five oval marginal red spots enclosing black dots at their interior extremities ; fringe alternately brown and white ; secondaries ochre-yellow, with a central angulated bifid band, an angulated submarginal streak, and the outer border composed of dark grey scales ; a marginal series of black dots ; fringe grey ; body brown ; abdomen banded with white : primaries below stramineous ; an angulated postmedian band, bifid above the median nervure, a dot at end of cell, an irregular transverse tapering subapical streak, and the centre of the outer border black-brown ; a subapical spot, and the apical border pale ferruginous ; a spot on the costa, and an irregular apical submarginal streak, white ; fringe alternately brown and white ; secondaries brick-red ; a central longitudinal cuneiform streak proceeding from the base to near the outer margin, and the abdominal border, white ; a spot close to the base, a central angulated transverse band, a claviform submarginal streak, and a spot on the outer margin, black ; fringe grey ; body below whitish. Expanse of wings 8+1⁄2 lines.[4]

Dugdale mentions that the male holotype specimen collected in Canterbury has the typical colouration for that area of hindwings strongly coloured with red below.[2] Specimens in Otago have less red colouration and the discal strip is not red.[2]

This species is endemic to New Zealand.[12][3] A. catapyrrha is widespread and is found in open areas from coastal to alpine locations.[13] It prefers stony habitat such as shingle riverbeds and stony fields.[14] It has been observed in the Mackenzie Country,[15] Kaitorete Spit,[16] near the Waimakariri River,[16] and in Central Otago.[17]

Arctesthes catapyrrha larva

A. catapyrrha is a day flying moth.[18] Adult moths can be seen between October and March.[16][18]

Larvae of A. catapyrrha feed on a wide range of low herbs including Plantago species and on Raoulia australis.[12][18] The adults of this moth are known to pollinate Raoulia subsericea.[19]

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• Specimens held at the Auckland War Memorial Museum
• Image of specimen held at Te Papa Tongarewa Museum of New Zealand