Asterivora combinatana

Asterivora combinatana is a species of moth in the family Choreutidae.[1] It is endemic to New Zealand and has been observed at locations in both the North and South Islands. The larvae feed on Senecio bellidioides and Brachyglottis repanda either from within a silken gallery or alternatively a silken curtain under which they feed. It is double brooded with adults being on the wing from September until November and again from February until April. This species is a day flying moth. It is extremely variable both in colouration and in size. The female tends to be larger and paler than the male of the species.

Asterivora combinatana
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Phylum:
Class:
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Genus:
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A. combinatana
Binomial name
Asterivora combinatana
(Walker, 1863)[1]
Synonyms[2]
  • Simaethis combinatana Walker, 1863
  • Simaethis abstitella Walker, 1864
  • Asterivora abstitella (Walker, 1864)
  • Simaethis zomeuta Meyrick, 1912
  • Asterivora zomeuta (Meyrick, 1912)

Taxonomy

A. combinatana by George Hudson

This species was first described by Francis Walker in 1863 and named Simaethis combinatana.[3] In 1883 Edward Meyrick synonymised Simaethis abstitella with Simaethis combinatana.[4][2] In 1927 Alfred Philpott studied the male genitalia of this species.[5] In 1928 George Hudson discussed and illustrated this species in his book The butterflies and moths of New Zealand under the name Simaethis combinatana.[6] In that publication Hudson synonymised S. zomeuta with S. combinatana.[6] In 1979 J. S. Dugdale placed S. combinatana within the genus Asterivora.[7] In 1988 Dugdale confirmed this placement.[2] In the 1979 publication Dugdale treated S. zomeuta as a separate species and placed it within the genus Asterivora.[7] However, in his 1988 publication Dugdale synonymised A. zomeuta with A. combinatana.[2] The female lectotype specimen of A. combinatana, collected in Auckland, is held at the Natural History Museum, London.[2]

Description

Larva of A. combinatana by George Hudson.

Walker described this species as follows:

Cupreous-ferruginous. Body cinereous beneath. Palpi porrect, squamous, a little longer than the breadth of the head ; third joint almost linear, nearly half the length of the second. Antennae with white rings. Fore wings with four whitish transverse diffuse irregular undulating lines ; two of these are near the base, and two near the exterior border, and each pair is accompanied by numerous minute whitish speckles ; fringe with two whitish streaks. Length of the body lines ; of the wings 7 lines.[3]

This species is extremely variable both in colouration and in size.[6] The female tends to be larger and paler than the male of the species.[6] It is very similar in appearance to its sister species Asterivora colpota and is easily confused with the same.[8] Hudson described the larva of this species as follows:

It is somewhat stout, slightly tapering at each end. The head and first segment are pale brown and horny; the rest of the body being pale greenish-ochreous. Each segment is provided with eight black warts arranged in two rows consisting of two and six respectively. Each of these warts gives rise to a small black bristle. The length of the larva when full-grown is about 1 inch.[6]

Distribution

It is endemic to New Zealand.[1] This species has been observed in both the North and South Islands including at Kaeo, Waimarino, Ohakune, Wellington, Mount Arthur and the Ōtira River.[6]

Behaviour

This species is a day flying moth.[7] It is double brooded with adults being on the wing from September until November and again from February until April.[6] Whilst at rest this species places its wings backwards and slightly lifted, with the antennae extended and the hindwings often almost hidden.[6] Hudson described their flying manner as "fussy".[6]

Life history

The larvae feed on Senecio bellidioides and Brachyglottis repanda.[6] When feeding off S. bellidioides they live in a silken gallery, is formed amongst the young shoots of the plant.[6] When feeding on B. repanda they build a silken curtain under which they shelter and feed.[6] Pupation takes place in white silken cocoons amongst the dead shoots of their host plant.[6]

References

  1. Gordon, Dennis P., ed. (2010). New Zealand inventory of biodiversity: Kingdom animalia : chaetognatha, ecdysozoa, ichnofossils. Vol. 2. p. 457. ISBN 978-1-877257-93-3. OCLC 973607714. OL 25288394M. Wikidata Q45922947.
  2. John Stewart Dugdale (23 September 1988). "Lepidoptera - annotated catalogue, and keys to family-group taxa". Fauna of New Zealand. Department of Scientific and Industrial Research. 14: 113. doi:10.7931/J2/FNZ.14. ISSN 0111-5383. Wikidata Q45083134.
  3. Francis Walker (1863), List of the Specimens of Lepidopterous Insects in the Collection of the British Museum, Part XXVIII. - Tortricites and Tineites, London, p. 456, Wikidata Q109352878{{citation}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  4. Edward Meyrick (1882). "Descriptions of Australian Micro-lepidoptera. VII. Revisional". Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales (in English and English). 7: 184. doi:10.5962/BHL.PART.22744. ISSN 0370-047X. Wikidata Q56012061.
  5. Alfred Philpott (15 November 1927). "The Male Genitalia of the New Zealand Glyphipterygidae". Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute. 58: 337–347. ISSN 1176-6158. Wikidata Q110772020.
  6. George Vernon Hudson (1928), The butterflies and moths of New Zealand, Illustrator: George Hudson, Wellington, p. 307, LCCN 88133764, OCLC 25449322, Wikidata Q58593286{{citation}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  7. J. S. Dugdale (July 1979). "A new generic name for the New Zealand species previously assigned to Simaethis auctorum (Lepidoptera: Choreutidae), with description of a new species". New Zealand Journal of Zoology. 6 (3): 461–466. doi:10.1080/03014223.1979.10428386. ISSN 0301-4223. Wikidata Q54576372.
  8. E. Meyrick (1 July 1911). "Notes and Descriptions of New Zealand Lepidoptera". Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute. 43: 67. ISSN 1176-6158. Wikidata Q58200989.
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