Asaphodes periphaea

This species was first described by Edward Meyrick in 1905 using a specimen collected by George Hudson at Humboldt Range, Lake Wakatipu at 4000 ft and named Xanthorhoe periphaea.[3] In 1928 George Hudson discussed and illustrated this species under the name Xanthorhoe periphaea.[4] In 1939 Louis Beethoven Prout placed this species in the genus Larentia.[5] This placement was not accepted by New Zealand taxonomists.[6] In 1971 J. S. Dugdale placed this species within the genus Asaphodes under the name Asaphodes perpheraea.[7] In 1988 J. S. Dugdale confirmed this placement but perpetuated the error in the species name by using Asaphodes perpheraea when discussing this species.[2] The male holotype specimen is held at the Natural History Museum, London.[2]

Illustration of male A. periphaea by George Hudson.

Meyrick first described this species as follows:

♂ . 26 mm. Head, thorax, and abdomen fuscous sprinkled with whitish. Fore-wings triangular, termen slightly bowed, oblique ; light fuscous, sprinkled with darker fuscous and whitish ; two very obscurely darker fasciae indicating median band, first curved, preceded by several white dots, second irregularly curved outwards on upper 3⁄5, followed by a series of white dots ; some whitish dots indicating subterminal line, edged with obscure darker shades : cilia fuscous-whitish, with two fuscous lines. Hind-wings rather elongate, light fuscous ; cilia as in fore-wings.[3]

The female of this species is brachypterous and was first collected in January 1987.[8]

This species is endemic to New Zealand.[1] A. periphaea has only been collected in the mountains in the north, west and south of Lake Wakatipu.[8] In January 1897 this species as found at Slate Basin and Jane Peak in Otago.[8]

The preferred habitat of this species is alpine bluffs as well as mountainous open country.[8][4]

This species is on the wing from January to March.[8][4]