Asterivora albifasciata is a species of moth in the family Choreutidae. It is endemic to New Zealand and has been observed on both the North and South Islands. The adults of this species are on the wing in December and January. Larvae of this species have been raised on Celmisia brevifolia.
| Asterivora albifasciata | |
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| Illustration of female | |
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| Illustration of male | |
Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Choreutidae |
| Genus: | Asterivora |
| Species: | A. albifasciata
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| Binomial name | |
| Asterivora albifasciata | |
| Synonyms[1] | |
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Taxonomy
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This species was described by Alfred Philpott in 1924, and named Simaethis albifasciata.[2][3] In 1927 Alfred Philpott studied the male genitalia of this species.[4] George Hudson discussed and illustrated this species in his 1928 publication The butterflies and moths of New Zealand.[5] In 1979 J. S. Dugdale placed this species within the genus Asterivora.[3] In 1988 Dugdale confirmed this placement.[6] The male holotype specimen, collected at Mount Arthur, is held at the New Zealand Arthropod Collection.[6]
Description
editAlfred Philpott described this species explaining that the wingspan is 11–12 mm. The head and thorax are bronzy-brown densely sprinkled with white. The antennae are bronzy-brown annulated with white. The abdomen is bronzy-brown, although the segmental divisions are white. The legs are pale brown mixed with white. On the forewings, the costa slightly is arched, the apex rounded, the termen straight. They are oblique and bronzy-brown mixed with blackish. There is a patch of white scales at the base above the middle, a broad irregular band of white scales at about half and a small white spot on the costa beyond the middle giving rise to a very irregular line composed of violet and blue metallic scales mixed with white. This line is strongly excurved at the middle and is there preceded by a similar but short line in the disc. There is also a broad white subterminal band of white scales, followed on the median portion by a line of metallic scales. A terminal line of white scales is more or less interrupted at the middle. The hindwings are pale bronzy-brown. Here, there is a straight white fascia running from the termen before tornus directed towards two-thirds of the costa, and reaching half-way across the wing.[2]
Distribution
editThis species is endemic to New Zealand.[7] Other than its type locality of Mount Arthur, this species has been collected in locations such as Wellington, Mount Ruapehu, and Tongariro.[5][8]
Host species
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Larvae of this species have been raised on Celmisia brevifolia.[9]
Behaviour
editAdults of this species are on the wing in December and January.[5][8]
References
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- ^ a b "Asterivora albifasciata (Philpott, 1924)". www.NZOR.org.nz. Landcare Research New Zealand Ltd. Retrieved 22 January 2017.
- ^ a b Philpott, A. (1924). "Notes and descriptions of New Zealand Lepidoptera". Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute. 55: 207–214 – via Biodiversity Heritage Library.
- ^ a b Dugdale, J. S. (1 July 1979). "A new generic name for the New Zealand species previously assigned to Simaethis auctorum (Lepidoptera: Choreutidae), with description of a new species". New Zealand Journal of Zoology. 6 (3): 461–466. doi:10.1080/03014223.1979.10428386. ISSN 0301-4223.
- ^ Alfred Philpott (15 November 1927). "The Male Genitalia of the New Zealand Glyphipterygidae". Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute. 58: 337–347. ISSN 1176-6158. Wikidata Q110772020.
- ^ a b c George Vernon Hudson (1928), The butterflies and moths of New Zealand, Illustrator: George Hudson, Wellington: Ferguson and Osborn Limited, p. 309, LCCN 88133764, OCLC 25449322, Wikidata Q58593286
- ^ a b John Stewart Dugdale (23 September 1988). "Lepidoptera - annotated catalogue, and keys to family-group taxa". Fauna of New Zealand. 14. Department of Scientific and Industrial Research: 113. doi:10.7931/J2/FNZ.14. ISSN 0111-5383. Wikidata Q45083134.
- ^ 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.
- ^ a b "Asterivora albifasciata Philpott, 1924". www.gbif.org. Retrieved 31 January 2022.
- ^ "Asterivora albifasciata (Philpott, 1924)". plant-synz.landcareresearch.co.nz. 2021. Archived from the original on 31 January 2022. Retrieved 1 February 2022.