Ichneutica cana is a moth of the family Noctuidae. It is endemic to New Zealand.[1]
| Ichneutica cana | |
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| Female | |
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| Male | |
Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Superfamily: | Noctuoidea |
| Family: | Noctuidae |
| Genus: | Ichneutica |
| Species: | I. cana
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| Binomial name | |
| Ichneutica cana | |
| Synonyms[1] | |
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Taxonomy
editI. cana was first described by George Howes in 1914 from a single male specimen collected in the Garvie Mountains, near Lake Wakatipu in Otago.[2] This species was illustrated and discussed in George Hudson's 1928 book The Butterflies and Moths of New Zealand.[3] John S. Dugdale agreed with the placement of this species within the genus Ichneutica in 1988.[4] Robert J. B. Hoare also confirmed the placement of this species within the genus Ichneutica in his major review of New Zealand Noctuidae species in 2019.[1]
Description
editHowes originally described the species as follows:
Face grey. Palpi blackish at base. Head and thorax grey, frontal area lighter grey. Head and thorax densely clothed with long dark-grey hair. Thorax broad in proportion to length, with a slight posterior crest. Abdomen grey. Forewings grey, with pale grey lines and occasional darker marks. A single light-grey line at base; a jagged grey line about 1⁄5, strongly dentate near dorsum; outwardly suffused with dark grey. Orbicular faintly shown in light grey, and separated from reniform by a distinct dark-grey patch. Reniform faintly outlined in light grey. A jagged light-grey line at 3⁄4, bending towards termen until centre of wing, then inwards before reaching dorsum. Terminal edge margined with light grey, edged basally with a dark suffusion, which forms a faintly defined line; slight grey marks along veins where they reach termen. Cilia short, light grey and dark grey alternate patches. Hindwings light grey with a faint ochreous tinge, a darker band across wing at J and a slightly waved subterminal band. Terminal edge and cilia grey-white. Underside grey with a faint ochreous tinge and a well-defined irregular dark-grey line at about 3⁄4 across both wings.[2]
I. cana is similar in appearance to I. eris but there are visual differences between the two species.[1]
Geographic range
editThis species is found only in the South Island, in the eastern and southern parts of that Island as well as in Fiordland.[1] Unlike I. eris, I. cana does not appear to be present in the north-west of the South Island.[1]
Habitat
editI. cana can be found in alpine habitat.[1]
Life history and host species
editThe life history of this species is unknown as are the host species of its larvae.[1]
Behaviour
editThe adults of this species are on the wing during December and January.[1] The males of this species are on the wing during sunny days, and both sexes are attracted to light.[1]
References
edit
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Hoare, Robert J. B. (9 December 2019). "Noctuinae (Insecta: Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) part 2: Nivetica, Ichneutica". Fauna of New Zealand. 80: 1–455. doi:10.7931/J2/FNZ.80.
- ^ a b George Howes (1914). "XIV. — New Lepidoptera". Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute. 46: 95–96. ISSN 1176-6158. Wikidata Q104451396.
- ^ Hudson, George Vernon (1928). The Butterflies and Moths of New Zealand. Wellington: Ferguson & Osborn Ltd. p. 50.
- ^ 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: 1–264. doi:10.7931/J2/FNZ.14. ISSN 0111-5383. Wikidata Q45083134.