Homodotis megaspilata

This species was first described by Francis Walker in 1862 under the name Larentia megaspilata using a specimen from T. R. Oxley's collection.[2] It was also described by Baron Cajetan von Felder, Rudolf Felder and Alois Friedrich Rogenhofer in 1875 as Cidaria assata and Cidaria nehata.[3][4] These later names were synonymised by Edward Meyrick in 1883,[5] and the species was described in more detail in 1884.[6] George Hudson discussed and illustrated this species under the name Asaphodes megasplitata in both his 1898 and his 1928 books on Lepidoptera.[7][8] Hudson was following Meyrick's decision to extend this genus to apply to all species with bipectinate male antennae and with undivided areole on the forewing areole.[9] In 1971 Dugdale, after undertaking a study of the genitalia of moths contained in the genus Asaphodes, reinstated the genus Homodoits and placed this species within it.[9] This placement was confirmed by Dugdale in 1988.[10] The holotype specimen, collected in Nelson by T. R. Oxley, is held at the Natural History Museum, London.[10]

Egg of H. megasplitata.

H. megaspilata larva.

Live H. megaspilata.

Hudson described the adults of this species in 1898 as follows:

The expansion of the wings is about 1 inch. The fore-wings are dull ochreous ; there is a series of fine brown and reddish wavy transverse lines near the base, forming a rather broad basal band ; then a pale central area containing a blackish dot above the middle ; next, a very distinct band made up of several fine wavy grey lines, with a rounded projection near the middle ; this is followed by numerous pale brown curved marks forming more or less broken transverse lines; there is always an oblique slaty patch below the apex, and a series of minute dots on the termen. The hind-wings are ochreous brown, slightly darker towards the base, with numerous indistinct wavy brown lines. The apex of the fore-wing is very pointed and slightly hooked downwards; the termen is bowed near the middle. The female is much duller and more uniform in colour than the male, and the antennae are simple.[7]

This species is extremely variable in appearance.[11] Some male specimens have several more or less distinct white markings on the middle of the fore-wings ; the transverse bands also differ considerably in both size and intensity.[7] The females are not so variable ; but in some specimens the bands on the fore-wings are almost absent, whilst others have the forewings rich brown, with a very conspicuous dark central band.[7] The adults of this species can be distinguished from other species of a similar appearance as it has forewings with blunt hook shaped tips.[11]

This species might possibly be confused with Homodotis falcata, as their range overlaps from Dunedin south.[11] However this latter species is a larger moth but with less strongly hooked forewings.[11]

Homodotis megaspilata is endemic to New Zealand and is very common throughout the country.[12][11]

Larval host Geniostoma ligustrifolium.

This species inhabits native forest as well as scrub, coastal areas and domestic gardens.[7][11] The larvae of this species feed on the dead leaves and has been recorded feeding on the leaf litter of Geniostoma ligustrifolium.[13][11] The adult moths have been documented as pollinating Olearia virgata and Leptospermum scoparium.[14] Adults have also been observed visiting the flowers of Meticytus ramiflorus.[15]

The eggs are pale yellow when first laid.[7] They turn dark reddish-brown for some days before the young larva emerges.[7] The young larva is rather stout, dark brownish-black with numerous fine parallel ochreous lines the whole body is covered with rather long bristles.[7] It is said to resemble "the fruiting body of a minute knobbed fungus".[11] The larvae of this species are known to be predated upon by mice as well as by Cermatulus nasalis nasalis.[13][16] H. megasilata pupates on the ground inside cocoon hidden in a dead leaf.[11] This species probably hibernates in the imago state during the winter months.[7] Adults are on the wing from October until April.[7] Adults are nocturnal, flying during the evening from dusk.[11] They are attracted to light.[11]

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This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain: New Zealand moths and butterflies (Macro-lepidoptera), by George Vernon Hudson (1898)