Stathmopoda campylocha

This species was first described by Edward Meyrick in 1889 using specimens collected in Wellington and Dunedin in January.[3][4] The type specimen is held at the Natural History Museum, London and the type locality is recorded as being "Dunedin, New Zealand".[3]

Meyrick described the species as follows:

12-14mm. Head and thorax whitish-ochreous, somewhat metallic-shining. Palpi and antennae pale whitish-ochreous. Abdomen grey. Legs whitish-ochreous, greyish-tinged, anterior pair dark grey, posterior tibiae with dark-grey scales at origin of spurs. Forewings elongate, very narrow, broadest near base, long-pointed ; whitish-ochreous ; an ochreous-fuscous or dark fuscous streak along costa from base to 3⁄4, sometimes almost obsolete ; an ochreous-fuscous or dark fuscous broadly V-shaped mark before middle, more or less suffused, variable in thickness, its angle resting on inner margin, extremities nearly reaching costa ; a longitudinal line in posterior half of disc, a spot at apex, and an elongate spot at anal angle ochreous-fuscous or ochreous, sometimes partially connected : cilia grey. Hindwings rather dark grey ; cilia grey.[4]

This species is endemic to New Zealand.[2][5] Historically this species occurred at Wellington and Dunedin,[6] and in 1915 Charles E. Clarke collected a specimen in mid December at Silverstream, Upper Hutt.[7] A further specimen was collected in early February in 1932 in the Pohangina Forest Reserve and was used by George Vernon Hudson to create an illustration of the species.[8] In more recent times S. campylocha has been found to be present in western and eastern Otago including in the Matukituki Valley.[9][10]

Meyrick collected his specimens amongst forest[4] and Hudson concurred that the species frequents forest habitat.[6]

Olearia hectorii

In 2000 Brian H. Patrick discovered that S. campylocha is associated with the nationally endangered plant Olearia hectorii.[9][10] Patrick was unable to locate S. campylocho larvae feeding but he hypothesised that they are likely detritivores or alternatively that they feed on scale insects.[9] He also suggested other possible host plants might be Olearia fimbriata, Olearia lineata, Olearia bullata or Olearia fragrantissima.[9] Plant-SyNZ indicates Olearia virgata as another possible host plant, attributed to Patrick (2000).

In 1939 Hudson stated that S. campylocha was regarded as being extremely rare.[8] This species has been given the "Nationally Critical" conservation status under the New Zealand Threat Classification System.[1]

• Hudson's 1939 illustration of S. campylocha. Plate LX, Fig. 5.