Aoraia enysii

Aoraia enysii, also known as the forest ghost moth is a species of moth of the family Hepialidae. It is endemic to New Zealand.[1] This is the only species of the genus Aoraia that can be found in the North as well as the South Island.[2][3] This species was described by Arthur Gardiner Butler in 1877 from a specimen obtained in the North Island by J. D. Enys.[4]

Aoraia enysii
Female specimen
Male specimen
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Arthropoda
Class:
Insecta
Order:
Lepidoptera
Family:
Hepialidae
Genus:
Aoraia
Species:
A. enysii
Binomial name
Aoraia enysii
(Butler, 1877)[1]
Synonyms[1]
  • Porina enysii Butler, 1877
  • Oxycanus enysii
  • Porina leonina Philpott, 1927

The wingspan is 60–74 mm for males and 78–110 mm for females. The forewing pattern is intricate and consists of varying shades of brown with ash-white markings, sometimes with subterminal patches of yellowish scales. The hindwings are yellowish-brown, fawn or smoky. Adults are on wing from February to May.[3]

The larvae can be found in pit traps or in litter on the forest floor. They feed on leaf litter.[5]

References
  1. "Aoraia enysii (Butler, 1877)". NZOR.org.nz. Landcare Research New Zealand Ltd. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
  2. Grehan, John. "Hepialidae: Aoraia Dumbleton, 1966". Johngrehan.net. John Grehan. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
  3. Dugdale, J.S. (1994). "Hepialidae (Insecta: Lepidoptera)" (PDF). Fauna of New Zealand. 30: 43–44. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
  4. Butler, Arthur Gardiner (1877). "On two collections of heterocerous Lepidoptera from New Zealand, with descriptions of new genera and species". Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London. 1877:May-Dec.: 379–407 – via Biodiversity Heritage Library.
  5. Dugdale, J. S. (1996). "Natural history and identification of litter‐feeding Lepidoptera larvae (Insecta) in beech forests, Orongorongo Valley, New Zealand, with especial reference to the diet of mice (Mus musculus)". Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand. 26 (2): 251–274. doi:10.1080/03014223.1996.9517513.


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