Kiwaia jeanae

Kiwaia jeanae, also known as the Kaitorete jumper or mat daisy jumper, is a species of moth in the family Gelechiidae. It is endemic to New Zealand. This species is classified as "At Risk, Naturally Uncommon" by the Department of Conservation. Both the males and females of this species are brachypterous.

Kiwaia jeanae
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Gelechiidae
Genus: Kiwaia
Species:
K. jeanae
Binomial name
Kiwaia jeanae

Taxonomy

This species was described by Alfred Philpott in 1930 using a specimen collected at Birdlings Flat, Canterbury.[2][3] George Hudson also discussed and illustrated this species in 1939.[4] This species is named in honour of Jean Lindsay, the first collector of the species.[2] The holotype specimen is held at the Canterbury Museum.[3]

Description

Philpott originally described the species as follows:

♂︎. 8mm. Head shining creamy white. Palpi ocherous white, apex of terminal segment blackish. Antennae brownish black. Thorax grey. Abdomen ocherous mixed with grey. Legs grey. Forewings lanceolate ; whitish ocherous mixed with grey ; a large subtriangular blackish blotch at 1⁄3 ; a round black spot in disk at 2⁄3 ; apex black anteriorly obscured margined with whitish ; fringes ocherous grey. Hindwings greatly reduced ; about a quarter the length of forewings ; densely covered with long fine ocherous whitish hair-scales which radiate in all directions.[2]

It has been hypothesised that the hairs on the hind wings of the male may assist in the release of pheromones attracting the females of the species.[4] Both the males and females of this species are brachypterous.[5] This reduction in wing size is rare in male moths.[5]

Distribution

This species is endemic to New Zealand.[1][6] It is found in North and Mid Canterbury.[7] As well as its type locality, this species has also occurred at Kaitorete Spit,[8] Amberley beach,[4] at Leithfield beach,[7] both near Amberley.

Biology and behaviour

Very little is known of the biology of this species.[8] The adult moths of this species jump like a flea.[8] Adult moths have been collected from January to mid April.[9]

Habitat and host species

This species has been collected on active sand dunes[10] or shingle soils covered with cushion plants.[2][7] The host plants for the larvae of this species are Raoulia mats and it has been hypothesised that the larvae are detritivorous.[7]

Conservation status

This species has been classified as having the "At Risk, Naturally Uncommon" conservation status under the New Zealand Threat Classification System.[11] This species is at risk because of habitat damage caused by commercial shingle removal and stock trampling.[6] The main threats to this species at Kaitorete Spit have been recorded as weed invasion, damage to habitat by recreational vehicles, housing development of habitat and predators.[12]

References
  1. "Kiwaia jeanae Philpott, 1930". www.nzor.org.nz. Landcare Research New Zealand Ltd. Retrieved 2018-05-25.
  2. Philpott, A. (1930). "Descriptions of Lepidoptera in the Canterbury Museum". Records of the Canterbury Museum. 3: 247–250.
  3. Dugdale, J. S. (1988). "Lepidoptera - annotated catalogue, and keys to family-group taxa" (PDF). Fauna of New Zealand. 14: 82. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 January 2019. Retrieved 25 May 2018.
  4. Hudson, G. V. (1939). A supplement to the butterflies and moths of New Zealand. Wellington: Ferguson & Osborn Ltd. p. 438.
  5. Sattler, K (1988). "The systematic status of the genera Ilseopsis Povolny, 1965, and Empista Povolny, 1968 (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae: Gnorimoschemini)". Nota Lepidopterologica. 10 (4): 224–235. ISSN 0342-7536 – via Internet Archive.
  6. Gordon, Dennis P., ed. (2010). New Zealand inventory of biodiversity: Kingdom animalia : chaetognatha, ecdysozoa, ichnofossils. Vol. 2. p. 459. ISBN 978-1-877257-93-3. OCLC 973607714. OL 25288394M. Wikidata Q45922947.
  7. Patrick, Brian; Dugdale, John S. (2000). Conservation status of the New Zealand lepidoptera (PDF). Wellington, N.Z.: Department of Conservation, New Zealand. p. 25. ISBN 0478218672. OCLC 154670803.
  8. "Kaitorete home to rare moth". Te Waihora. 2016-03-09. Archived from the original on 2022-01-26. Retrieved 2018-05-25.
  9. Pawson, S.M.; Emberson, R.M. (2000). "The conservation status of invertebrates in Canterbury" (PDF). Conservation Advisory Science Notes. 320: 1–64.
  10. "Active sand dunes". Manaaki Whenua - Landcare Research. Landcare Research New Zealand Ltd. Retrieved 2018-05-25.
  11. Hoare, R.J.B.; Dugdale, J.S.; Edwards, E.D.; Gibbs, G.W.; Patrick, B.H.; Hitchmough, R.A.; Rolfe, J.R. (2017). "Conservation status of New Zealand butterflies and moths (Lepidoptera), 2015" (PDF). New Zealand Threat Classification Series. 20: 8.
  12. "Important protection work at Te Waihora". Land Air Water Aotearoa (LAWA). 5 May 2016. Retrieved 2018-05-25.
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