Sestra humeraria

Sestra humeraria, also known as huarau looper, is a species of moth in the family Geometridae.[3] It was described by Francis Walker in 1861.[2] This species is endemic to New Zealand.[1]

Sestra humeraria
Male
Female
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Arthropoda
Subphylum:
Hexapoda
Class:
Insecta
Order:
Lepidoptera
Family:
Geometridae
Subfamily:
Ennominae
Genus:
Sestra
Species:
S. humeraria
Binomial name
Sestra humeraria
(Walker, 1861)[1]
Synonyms[2]
  • Macaria humeraria Walker, 1861

Description

The mature larva of this species has a slightly knobbly appearance with a pale brown body marked with darker wavy lines.[4] It is between 25 and 30 mm in length.[4]

Behaviour

When the larvae are touched they drop down to the soil or leaf litter.[4] The larvae can be seen all year but the adult moths are on the wing from October to December.[4]

Host

The larval host of this species is the fern Hypolepis millefolium.[4] The larvae feed on the fronds of their host.[4]

References
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Sestra humeraria.
  1. "Sestra humeraria (Walker, 1861)". www.nzor.org.nz. Landcare Research New Zealand Ltd. Retrieved 4 February 2018.
  2. Dugdale, J. S. (1988). "Lepidoptera - annotated catalogue, and keys to family-group taxa" (PDF). Fauna of New Zealand. 14: 169. Retrieved 4 February 2018.
  3. Gordon, Dennis P., ed. (2010). New Zealand inventory of biodiversity: Kingdom animalia : chaetognatha, ecdysozoa, ichnofossils. Vol. 2. p. 458. ISBN 978-1-877257-93-3. OCLC 973607714. OL 25288394M. Wikidata Q45922947.
  4. Andrew Crowe (2004). Life-Size Guide to New Zealand Native Ferns: Featuring the unique caterpillars which feed on them. p. 25. ISBN 0-14-301924-4. Wikidata Q115211440.


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