Asaphodes glaciata

This species was described by George Hudson in 1925 as Xanthorhoe glaciata using material collected by Charles E. Clarke at Mount Moltke in Westland in January at 1700m.[2][3] Hudson also discussed and illustrated this species under this name in his 1928 publication The Butterflies and Moths of New Zealand.[4] In 1987 Robin C. Craw proposed assigning this species to the genus Asaphodes.[5] In 1988 John S. Dugdale agreed with this proposal.[2] The holotype specimen is held at the Auckland War Memorial Museum.[2]

Illustration of male A. glaciata by George Hudson.

Hudson described the species as follows:

The expansion of the wings is almost 1+1⁄4 inches. The forewings, which have costa strongly arched near the apex and the termen obliquely rounded, are bright yellow-ochreous with blackish-brown and bluish-white markings; a small bluish-white basal patch, heavily sprinkled with blackish scales; a pale yellowish-brown subbasal band edged with blackish-brown, with two deep rounded indentations above and below middle; centre of median band bluish-white, heavily sprinkled with blackish-brown scales; the outer edge of median band from 2⁄3 of costa to about 3⁄4 of dorsum, with a very strong rounded double protection slightly below the middle; outer portion of band composed of several wavy lines of blackish-brown scales; a large suffused crescentric patch of dull brown on termen below apex; a subterminal series of diffused bluish-white spots; an obscure terminal series of brown crescentric marks; cilia brownish-ochreous. The hindwings are pale brownish-ochreous, with a broad suffused greyish terminal band, and numerous fine broken greyish lines and dots on basal 2⁄3; a distinct grey discal dot; cilia dull ochreous-brown.[4]

Male holotype specimen

This species is endemic to New Zealand.[1][6] A. glaciata can only be found in Westland around the Fox and Franz Josef Glaciers.[7]

A. glaciata is on the wing in January.[4]