Orocrambus sophronellus

Orocrambus sophronellus is a moth in the family Crambidae. This species is endemic to New Zealand. This species has been classified as Data Deficient by the Department of Conservation.

Orocrambus sophronellus
Illustration of male
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Crambidae
Subfamily: Crambinae
Tribe: Crambini
Genus: Orocrambus
Species:
O. sophronellus
Binomial name
Orocrambus sophronellus
(Meyrick, 1885)[1]
Synonyms[2]
  • Crambus sophronellus Meyrick, 1885

Taxonomy

This species was first described by Edward Meyrick in 1885,[3] from a specimen given to him by Richard William Fereday.[4] Meyrick named the species Crambus sophronellus.[2][3] Meyrick gave a more detailed description of the species later that year.[4] In 1928 George Vernon Hudson also described and illustrated the species.[5] In 1975 David E. Gaskin placed the species in the genus Orocrambus.[6] Gaskin argues that Hudsons illustration in his 1928 book is actually of the species O. cyclopicus.[6] The type locality of the specimen is uncertain but is possibly Canterbury.[3] The type specimen is held at the Natural History Museum, London.[2]

Description

Meyrick described the species as follows:

Female. — 19 mm. Head and thorax ochreous-white, coarsely irrorated with greyish-fuscous. Palpi long, whitish, externally irrorated with grey. Antennae grey. Abdomen whitish, irrorated with grey. Legs grey-whitish. Forewings elongate, tolerably oblong, costa hardly arched, apex round-pointed, hindmargin straight, rather strongly oblique ; greyish-fuscous, densely irrorated with white, and with a few black scales : cilia whitish-grey mixed with white, base white. Hindwings light fuscous-grey, towards hindmargin darker ; cilia grey- whitish.[4]

Distribution

This species is endemic to New Zealand.[1][7] It has been recorded in Taparewa near Nelson,[5] the Mackenzie Basin,[8] and Central Otago.[6] It is possibly also present in Canterbury.[6]

Life cycle and behaviour

Adult moths have been recorded on wing in March.[6] The species is attracted to light.[5]

Habitat

O. sophronellus is thought to occur in short tussock grasslands.[9]

Host species

O. sophronellus is associated with Carex muelleri.[10]

Conservation status

This moth is classified under the New Zealand Threat Classification system as being Data Deficient.[11]

References
  1. "Orocrambus sophronellus (Meyrick, 1885)". www.nzor.org.nz. Landcare Research New Zealand Ltd. Retrieved 22 January 2018.
  2. Dugdale, J. S. (1988). "Lepidoptera - annotated catalogue, and keys to family-group taxa" (PDF). Fauna of New Zealand. 14: 149. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 July 2019. Retrieved 1 May 2018.
  3. Meyrick, Edward (1885). "Description of New Zealand Microlepidoptera. V [VI]. Pyralidina [abstract]". New Zealand Journal of Science. 2: 346–348 – via Biodiversity Heritage Library.
  4. Meyrick, Edward (1885). "Descriptions of New Zealand Microlepidoptera. VI. Pyralidina". Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute. 17: 121–140 – via Biodiversity Heritage Library.
  5. Hudson, G. V. (1928). The Butterflies and Moths of New Zealand. Wellington: Ferguson & Osborn Ltd. p. 169.
  6. Gaskin, D. E. (10 March 1975). "Revision of the New Zealand Crambini (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae: Crambinae)". New Zealand Journal of Zoology. 2 (3): 265–363. doi:10.1080/03014223.1975.9517878.
  7. 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.
  8. Head, Nicholas John (4 October 2016). "Statement of evidence of Nicholas John Head for the Director-General of Conservation". www.ecan.govt.nz. Retrieved 5 May 2018.
  9. Pawson, Stephen M; Emberson, Rowan M (2000). The conservation status of invertebrates in Canterbury (Report). Lincoln University. hdl:10182/1658.
  10. "Nevis Red Tussock Fen". www.orc.govt.nz. Otago Regional Council. Retrieved 6 May 2018.
  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). Wellington, New Zealand: New Zealand Department of Conservation. p. 5. ISBN 9781988514383.


This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.