Mallobathra aphrosticha
| Mallobathra aphrosticha | |
|---|---|
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| Male lectotype | |
Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Psychidae |
| Genus: | Mallobathra |
| Species: | M. aphrosticha
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| Binomial name | |
| Mallobathra aphrosticha Meyrick, 1912[1]
| |
| Synonyms[2] | |
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Mallobathra aphrosticha is a moth of the family Psychidae.[1][2] This species is endemic to New Zealand and has been collected in Fiordland, Otago and Southland. The adults are on the wing in December and the female is semi-apterous.
Taxonomy
This species was first described by Edward Meyrick in 1912 and named Telapora aphrostcha, a misspelling in the original publication.[3][2] He used specimens collected by Alfred Philpott at Hump Ridge in Fiordland at an altitude of 3500 ft.[4] Not long after publication, the spelling of aphrosticha was used in scientific literature to refer to this species.[4] Dugdale discussed this misspelling stating that the appropriate spelling of the species name is aphrositcha as indicated by Mayrick's handwriting on a specimen label.[2] In 1971 this species was placed within the genus Mallobathra.[5] This name was confirmed by the New Zealand Inventory of Biodiversity.[1]
Description
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Meyrick described the adults of this species as follows:
♂ 22 mm. Head, palpi, and antennae dark fuscous, antennal ciliations 2+1⁄2. Thorax dark fuscous, with several whitish dots posteriorly. Abdomen dark grey, somewhat whitish-mixed. Forewings elongate, rather narrow at base, posteriorly dilated, costa gently arched, apex obtuse, termen obliquely rounded ; all veins separate ; white, mixed with grey in disc and towards costa, coarsely reticulated throughout with dark fuscous ; the white colour forms a more conspicuous quadrate spot on dorsum before middle, including a dark - fuscous dorsal strigula, and preceded and followed by irregular dark-fuscous spots : cilia fuscous, basal half spotted with white. Hindwings dark grey ; cilia fuscous. ♀ apterous, active.[3]
The female of this species is semi-apterous.[4]
Distribution
This species is endemic to New Zealand.[1] It has been collected in Fiordland, Otago and Southland.[5][6][7]
Behaviour
This species is on the wing in December.[4]
References
- ^ a b c d Gordon, Dennis P., ed. (2010). New Zealand inventory of biodiversity: Kingdom animalia: chaetognatha, ecdysozoa, ichnofossils. Vol. 2. p. 463. ISBN 978-1-877257-93-3. OCLC 973607714. OL 25288394M. Wikidata Q45922947.
- ^ a b c d Dugdale , J. S. (23 September 1988). "Lepidoptera - annotated catalogue, and keys to family-group taxa". Fauna of New Zealand. 14. Department of Scientific and Industrial Research: 68. doi:10.7931/J2/FNZ.14. ISSN 0111-5383. Wikidata Q45083134.
- ^ a b Edward Meyrick (10 June 1912). "Descriptions of New Zealand Lepidoptera". Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute. 44: 123. ISSN 1176-6158. Wikidata Q109393380.
- ^ a b c d George Vernon Hudson (1912). "Notes on semi-apterous females in certain species of Lepidoptera, with an attempted explanation". Entomologist's Monthly Magazine. 48: 271. ISSN 0013-8908. Wikidata Q110093593.
- ^ a b Dugdale, J. S. (10 November 1971). "Entomology of the Aucklands and other islands south of New Zealand: Lepidoptera, excluding non-crambine Pyralidae". Pacific Insects Monographs. 27: 139. ISSN 0078-7515. Wikidata Q64006453.
- ^ Alfred Philpott (1917). "A list of the Lepidoptera of Otago". Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute. 49: 271. ISSN 1176-6158. Wikidata Q63958657.
- ^ "Mallobathra aphrosticha". Auckland Museum Collections Online. 2021. Retrieved 14 December 2021.