Cleora scriptaria
| Cleora scriptaria | |
|---|---|
| |
| Male | |
| |
| Female | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Geometridae |
| Genus: | Cleora |
| Species: | C. scriptaria
|
| Binomial name | |
| Cleora scriptaria | |
| Synonyms[2] | |
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Cleora scriptaria, the kawakawa looper moth, is a moth in the family Geometridae found only in New Zealand.[3]
Taxonomy
C. scriptaria was first described by Francis Walker in 1860 as Tephrosia scriptaria using specimens obtained from Major Parry.[4]
Description
The adults are extremely variable in size and colour, which led to the species being described under several different names, but are generally brownish with a wingspan of 40–50 mm and a kidney-shaped spot in the middle of the forewing.[5]
Host plants
Its green or brown larvae are notable for feeding at night on the leaves of the kawakawa, Piper excelsum, leaving a distinctive pattern of holes.[3] They do not feed exclusively on kawakawa, and can also be found on horopito (Pseudowintera sp.), wineberry/makomako (Aristotelia serrata), ramarama (Lophomyrtus sp.), akeake (Dodonea viscosa), and even introduced feijoas (Acca sellowiana).[5][6][7]
References
- ^ "Cleora scriptaria (Walker, 1860)". Landcare Research New Zealand Ltd. Retrieved 11 August 2017.
- ^ Dugdale, J. S. (1988). "Lepidoptera-annotated catalogue, and keys to family-group taxa" (PDF). Fauna of New Zealand. 14: 1–264 – via Landcare Research New Zealand Ltd.
- ^ a b Martin, N. A. (2017). "Kawakawa looper - Cleora scriptaria". Landcare Research.
{{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|dead-url=(help) - ^ Walker, Frances (1860). "XXI: Geometrites (continued)". List of the specimens of lepidopterous insects in the collection of the British Museum. pt. 19–21: 277–498 – via Biodiversity Heritage Library.
- ^ a b "Cleora scriptaria (Kawakawa looper moth)". T.E.R.R.A.I.N. – Taranaki Educational Resource, Research, Analysis, and Information Network. Retrieved 11 August 2017.
{{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|dead-url=(help) - ^ Crowe, Andrew (2002). Which New Zealand Insect?. Auckland: Penguin. p. 21. ISBN 0141006366.
- ^ "PlantSynz - Invertebrate herbivore biodiversity assessment tool: Database". plant-synz.landcareresearch.co.nz. Retrieved 2018-07-10.
External links
- The kawakawa looper discussed on RNZ Critter of the Week, 11 August 2017
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