Nymphostola is a monotypic moth genus in the family Oecophoridae[1] or the family Depressariidae. The genus was erected by Edward Meyrick in 1883.[2] Its only species, Nymphostola galactina, the tarata flat moth,[3][4] was described by Cajetan Felder, Rudolf Felder and Alois Friedrich Rogenhofer in 1875.[5] It is endemic to New Zealand.[6]
| Nymphostola galactina | |
|---|---|
| |
| On a kōwhai shoot | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Oecophoridae |
| Genus: | Nymphostola Meyrick, 1883 |
| Species: | N. galactina
|
| Binomial name | |
| Nymphostola galactina | |
For both males and females, the wingspan is between 23 and 26 mm. The head, palpi, antennae, thorax, abdomen, and legs are snow white. The forewings are broad, the costa strongly arched, the apex obtuse, hindmargin straight, while not oblique; white, with a faint greenish or emerald tinge between the veins; all the veins are marked at regular intervals with faint minute dark grey dots. There is a more conspicuous dark grey dot in disc beyond the middle, and a very slender indistinct dark grey hindmarginal line: cilia white. The hindwings and cilia are white. Considered a very delicate and conspicuously distinct species.[1]
References
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- ^ a b Meyrick, E. (1883). "Descriptions of New Zealand Microlepidoptera. III. Oecophoridae". Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute. 16: 6. Retrieved 15 January 2021.
- ^ Savela, Markku, ed. (7 January 2014). "Nymphostola Meyrick, 1883". Lepidoptera and Some Other Life Forms. Retrieved January 16, 2021.
- ^ "Moth, Tarata flat". Puke Ariki Museum Libraries. Retrieved 17 January 2021.
- ^ "Nymphostola galactina (Felder & Rogenhofer, 1875)". collections.tepapa.govt.nz. Te Papa Tongarewa. Retrieved 15 January 2021.
- ^ Felder, Cajetan; Rogenhofer, Alois Friedrich (1864–1867). "Reise der österreichischen Fregatte Novara". Reise der österreichischen Fregatte Novara um die Erde in den Jahren 1857, 1858, 1859 unter den Befehlen des Commodore B. Von W (in German). pt.9:Bd.2:Abt.2 (1864-1867) Atlas: Plate CHL fig 40 – via Biodiversity Heritage Library.
- ^ "NZOR Name Details - Nymphostola galactina (Felder & Rogenhofer, 1875)". New Zealand Organisms Register. Retrieved 17 January 2021.