Arctesthes catapyrrha is a species of moth in the family Geometridae.[2] It is endemic to New Zealand.

Arctesthes catapyrrha
Male
Female
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Geometridae
Genus: Arctesthes
Species:
A. catapyrrha
Binomial name
Arctesthes catapyrrha
(Butler, 1877)[1]
Synonyms[1][2][3]
  • Fidonia catapyrrha Butler, 1877
  • Stratonice catapyrrha (Butler, 1877)
  • Notoreas catapyrrha (Butler, 1877)
  • Coremia euclidiata Guenée, 1857
  • Lythria euclidiata (Guenée, 1857)
  • Lythria catapyrrha (Butler, 1877)
  • Arctesthes catapyrrha fasciata Prout, 1929
  • Arctesthes catapyrrha kaikourensis Prout, 1939

Taxonomy

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This species was first described by Arthur Gardiner Butler in 1877 using specimens collected by James Hector and J. D. Enys and named Fidonia catapyrrha.[4] In 1884 Edward Meyrick placed this species in the newly described genus Stratonice.[5] In 1885 Meyrick replaced this preoccupied name with Arctesthes.[6] However also in 1885 Meyrick synonymised Arctesthes catapyrrha with Coremia euclidiata (now known as Chrysolarentia euclidiata).[7] In 1898 George Hudson discussed and illustrated this species under the name Lythria euclidiata, following this error made by Meyrick.[8] In 1912 George Blundell Longstaff corrected Meyrick's error.[9] In 1917 Meyrick agreed with that correction.[10] In 1928 Hudson again discussed and illustrated this species but this time, again following Meyrick, under the name Lythria catapyrrha.[11] Robin C. Craw in 1986 reinstated the genus Arctesthes and placed this species within it.[12] In 1988 J. S. Dugdale confirmed this placement and while doing so synonymised two forms, fasciata and kaikourensis, that had been previously named by Louis Beethoven Prout, into this species.[2] In 2019 Brian and Hamish Patrick as well as Robert Hoare reviewed the genus Arctesthes and again confirmed this species placement within it.[3] The male holotype specimen, collected at Castle Hill in Canterbury, is held at the Natural History Museum, London.[2]

Description

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Butler described this species as follows:

♂,♀. Primaries above whitish, clouded and banded with brown ; the principal markings are an angulated transverse subbasal dark brown band ; two central bands forming a band, its inner edge subangulated, its outer edge very irregular, projecting within the median interspaces; an interrupted submarginal brown streak; a brown apical spot, and five oval marginal red spots enclosing black dots at their interior extremities ; fringe alternately brown and white ; secondaries ochre-yellow, with a central angulated bifid band, an angulated submarginal streak, and the outer border composed of dark grey scales ; a marginal series of black dots ; fringe grey ; body brown ; abdomen banded with white : primaries below stramineous ; an angulated postmedian band, bifid above the median nervure, a dot at end of cell, an irregular transverse tapering subapical streak, and the centre of the outer border black-brown ; a subapical spot, and the apical border pale ferruginous ; a spot on the costa, and an irregular apical submarginal streak, white ; fringe alternately brown and white ; secondaries brick-red ; a central longitudinal cuneiform streak proceeding from the base to near the outer margin, and the abdominal border, white ; a spot close to the base, a central angulated transverse band, a claviform submarginal streak, and a spot on the outer margin, black ; fringe grey ; body below whitish. Expanse of wings 8+12 lines.[4]

Dugdale mentions that the male holotype specimen collected in Canterbury has the typical colouration for that area of hindwings strongly coloured with red below.[2] Specimens in Otago have less red colouration and the discal strip is not red.[2]

Distribution

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This species is endemic to New Zealand.[12][3] A. catapyrrha is widespread and is found in open areas from coastal to alpine locations.[13] It prefers stony habitat such as shingle riverbeds and stony fields.[14] It has been observed in the Mackenzie Country,[15] Kaitorete Spit,[16] near the Waimakariri River,[16] and in Central Otago.[17]

Life stages

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Arctesthes catapyrrha larva

A. catapyrrha is a day flying moth.[18] Adult moths can be seen between October and March.[16][18]

Host species

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Larvae of A. catapyrrha feed on a wide range of low herbs including Plantago species and on Raoulia australis.[12][18] The adults of this moth are known to pollinate Raoulia subsericea.[19]

References

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  1. ^ a b "NZOR Name Details - Arctesthes catapyrrha (Butler, 1877)". www.nzor.org.nz. Landcare Research New Zealand Ltd. Retrieved 8 February 2017.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Dugdale, J. S. (1988). "Lepidoptera - annotated catalogue, and keys to family-group taxa" (PDF). Fauna of New Zealand. 14: 170–171. ISSN 0111-5383. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 January 2019. Retrieved 6 February 2017.
  3. ^ a b c Patrick, Brian H.; Patrick, Hamish J.H.; Hoare, Robert J.B. (2019-05-29). "Review of the endemic New Zealand genus Arctesthes Meyrick (Lepidoptera, Geometridae, Larentiinae), with descriptions of two new range-restricted species". Alpine Entomology. 3: 121–136. doi:10.3897/alpento.3.33944. ISSN 2535-0889 – via Pensoft.
  4. ^ a b Butler, Arthur Gardiner (1877). "On two collections of Heterocerous Lepidoptera from New Zealand, with descriptions of new genera and species". Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London: 379–407 – via Biodiversity Heritage Library.
  5. ^ Edward Meyrick (May 1884). "A Monograph of the New Zealand Geometrina". Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute. 16: 49–113. ISSN 1176-6158. Wikidata Q109615359.
  6. ^ Edward Meyrick (1885). "Notes on the nomenclature of the New Zealand Geometrina". New Zealand Journal of Science. 2: 589. Wikidata Q109608428.
  7. ^ Edward Meyrick (1885). "Supplement to a monograph of the New Zealand Geometrina". Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute. 17: 62–68. ISSN 1176-6158. Wikidata Q111032066.
  8. ^ George Vernon Hudson (1898), New Zealand moths and butterflies (Macro-lepidoptera), Illustrator: George Hudson, London, doi:10.5962/BHL.TITLE.7912, OCLC 980865393, Wikidata Q19073637{{citation}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  9. ^ George Blundell Longstaff (1912). "On the Nomenclature of the Lepidoptera of New Zealand". Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute. 44: 108–115. ISSN 1176-6158. Wikidata Q108324136.
  10. ^ Edward Meyrick (December 1917). "Revision of New Zealand Notodontina". Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute. 49: 248–273. ISSN 1176-6158. Wikidata Q110727829.
  11. ^ George Vernon Hudson (1928), The butterflies and moths of New Zealand, Illustrator: George Hudson, Wellington: Ferguson and Osborn Limited, p. 131, LCCN 88133764, OCLC 25449322, Wikidata Q58593286
  12. ^ a b c Craw, R. C. (1986-01-01). "Review of the genus Notoreas (sensu auctorum) (Lepidoptera: Geometridae: Larentiinae)". New Zealand Journal of Zoology. 13 (1): 131–140. doi:10.1080/03014223.1986.10422654. ISSN 0301-4223.
  13. ^ Barratt, B. I. P.; Patrick, B. H. (1987). "Insects of snow tussock grassland on the East Otago Plateau". New Zealand Entomologist. 10 (1): 69–98. doi:10.1080/00779962.1987.9722513.
  14. ^ Crowe, Andrew (2017). Which New Zealand insect?. Penguin Books. p. 20. ISBN 978-0-14-100636-9.
  15. ^ Patrick, B. H. (1992). "Supplement to the Lepidoptera of the Mackenzie Country with recommendations on their conservation". New Zealand Entomologist. 15 (1): 48–58. CiteSeerX 10.1.1.534.4540. doi:10.1080/00779962.1992.9722629.
  16. ^ a b c Patrick, Brian (1994). "Lepidoptera of Kaitorete Spit, Canterbury". New Zealand Entomologist. 17 (1): 52–63. CiteSeerX 10.1.1.580.6402. doi:10.1080/00779962.1994.9721985. ISSN 0077-9962.
  17. ^ Allen, R. B.; McIntosh, P. D. (1995). "Guidelines for conservation of salt pans in Central Otago" (PDF). Science for Conservation. 49: 1–46.
  18. ^ a b c Macfarlane R.P.; Patrick B.H.; Vink C.J. (1999). McLeans Island: invertebrate inventory and analysis (Report). Christchurch City Council (Parks & Recreation Division) report. pp. 1–44. hdl:10182/4156.
  19. ^ Richard B. Primack (July 1983). "Insect pollination in the New Zealand mountain flora". New Zealand Journal of Botany. 21 (3): 317–333. doi:10.1080/0028825X.1983.10428561. ISSN 0028-825X. Wikidata Q54669862.
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