Batrachedra astricta

Batrachedra astricta is a species of moth in the family Batrachedridae. It is endemic to New Zealand. It is found in the north of the North Island and also Opoho in Otago. This species is on the wing in December. B. astricta has been found in wetland habitat. It has been shown to be associated with the threatened plant Sporadanthus ferrugineus.

Batrachedra astricta
Male holotype specimen
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Batrachedridae
Genus: Batrachedra
Species:
B. astricta
Binomial name
Batrachedra astricta

Taxonomy

This species was described by Alfred Philpott in 1930.[2] George Hudson discussed and illustrated this species in his 1939 book A supplement to the butterflies and moths of New Zealand.[3] The holotype specimen of this species was collected by Charles E. Clarke on 17 December 1921 at Opoho in Otago.[2] The holotype specimen is held at the Auckland War Memorial Museum.[4]

Description
Batrachedra astricta illustrated by George Hudson

Philpott described B. astricta as follows:

♂♀. 13-15mm Head and thorax whitish grey. Palpi whitish grey mixed with fuscous, second segment with small apical scale-projection. Antennae ochreous annulated with fuscous. Abdomen greyish brown. Legs whitish ochreous mixed with fuscous. Forewings long, narrow , parallel-sided, apex round-pointed; white, densely sprinkled with blackish fuscous scales, aggregations of which form the stigmata ; first discal at about 1⁄2, obliquely beyond pical ; second discal at 3⁄4, rather below middle : fringes pale fuscous grey with a blackish fuscous line round apex. Hindwings and fringes page greyish fuscous.[2]

This species can be distinguished from its close relative B. tristicata as B. astricta lacks the round black apical spot found on the forewings of that species as well as lacking the elongated stigmata.[2]

Distribution
Image showing Opoho in the background.

This species is endemic to New Zealand.[5][6] Other than the type locality of Opoho, this species has also been collected in the northern part of the North Island.[7]

Biology and behaviour

This species is on the wing in December.[3] This species has been shown to be associated with the threatened plant Sporadanthus ferrugineus.[7] B. astricta has been found in wetland habitat.[7]

References
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  1. "Batrachedra astricta Philpott, 1930". www.nzor.org.nz. Landcare Research New Zealand Ltd. Retrieved 2017-01-18.
  2. Philpott, Alfred (1930). "New Species of Lepidoptera in the Collection of the Auckland Museum". Records of the Auckland Institute and Museum. 1 (1): 1–16. Retrieved 7 June 2018.
  3. Hudson, G. V. (1939). A supplement to the butterflies and moths of New Zealand. Wellington: Ferguson & Osborn Ltd. p. 442. OCLC 221041540. Retrieved 7 June 2018.
  4. Dugdale, J. S. (1988). "Lepidoptera - annotated catalogue, and keys to family-group taxa" (PDF). Fauna of New Zealand. 14: 1–269. ISBN 0477025188. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 January 2019. Retrieved 7 June 2018.
  5. 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.
  6. "Batrachedra astricta Philpott, 1930". www.nzor.org.nz. Landcare Research New Zealand Ltd. Retrieved 2018-06-07.
  7. Watts, Corinne H.; Thornburrow, Danny; Thornburrow, John; Didham, Raphael K. (29 February 2008). "Sampling the invertebrate community associated with a threatened wetland plant, Sporadanthus ferrugineus, using a new design of emergence trap". New Zealand Entomologist. 31 (1): 23–29. doi:10.1080/00779962.2008.9722162. S2CID 85625020. Retrieved 7 June 2018.
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