Asaphodes albalineata

A. albalineata was first described by Alfred Philpott in 1915 under the name Xanthorhoe albalineata from a specimen collected in December, at an altitude of 600 metres, on Table Hill on Stewart Island / Rakiura.[4][5] In 1928 George Hudson discussed and illustrated this species under the name Xanthorhoe albilineata.[5] In 1939 Louis Beethoven Prout placed this species in the genus Larentia.[6] This placement was not accepted by New Zealand taxonomists.[7] In 1971 J. S. Dugdale placed this species within the genus Asaphodes.[8] In 1988 J. S. Dugdale reaffirmed this placement and stated that although both the original spelling of albalineata, as well as the correction albilineata in a revision by Edward Meyrick, are incorrect, albalineata should be used under ICNZ rules.[2] The male holotype specimen is held in the New Zealand Arthropod Collection.[2]

Illustration of A. albalineata by George Hudson.

Philpott originally described this species as follows:

♂ 26–30 mm. Head ochreous, face whitish. Palpi rather elongate, white. Antennae moderately bipectinated, stalk white basally. Thorax brownish-ochreous. Abdomen pale ochreous with paired linear black marks on the dorsal surface of each segment. Forewings triangular, elongate, costa slightly sinuate, hardly arched, apex obtuse, termen bowed, rather oblique; pale whitish - ochreous; markings greyish-fuscous; basal line obscurely indicated, angled above middle; first line from ¼ costa to ⅓ dorsum, irregular, sharply angled inwards above middle; a roundish discal dot; second line from ⅔ costa to ½ dorsum, bluntly projecting at middle, inwardly oblique at dorsum; median band slightly suffused with fuscous in disc and anteriorly to second line; an irregular patch of fuscous suffusion between upper third of second line and termen; a series of paired dots on termen, the apical ones tending to be inwardly produced as paired lines: cilia pale whitish-ochreous with a few dark scales opposite paired dots Hindwings elongate, termen obliquely rounded; pale whitish-ochreous; a terminal series of paired fuscous dots: cilia pale whitish-ochreous. Undersides: Forewings ochreous, disc broadly fuscous; hindwings ochreous; a straight white streak above middle from base to near termen, attenuated posteriorly, margined beneath with brownish-fuscous; a similar streak above dorsum.[4]

This species is similar in appearance to Asaphodes oraria but can be distinguished from that species by the unusual pattern on the underside of its hindwings.[4]

This species is endemic to New Zealand and has been observed on Stewart Island / Rakiura.[1][5]

This species inhabits open hill tops.[5]

The adults of this species are on the wing in December.[5]