Asaphodes chlamydota

Asaphodes chlamydota is a moth in the family Geometridae. It is endemic to New Zealand, in the lower part of the North Island and in the South Island. It can be found in forest and shrublands and feeds on native Clematis plants.

Asaphodes chlamydota
Male
Female
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Arthropoda
Class:
Insecta
Order:
Lepidoptera
Family:
Geometridae
Genus:
Asaphodes
Species:
A. chlamydota
Binomial name
Asaphodes chlamydota
(Meyrick, 1883)[1]
Synonyms
  • Epyaxa chlamydota Meyrick, 1883
  • Xanthorhoe chlamydota (Meyrick, 1883)

Taxonomy

This species was first described by Edward Meyrick in 1883 as Epyaxa chlamydota.[2] Later that same year Meyrick gave a more detailed description of the newly named species.[3] George Hudson further discussed the species in his 1898 volume New Zealand Moths and Butterflies and referred to it as Xanthorhoe chlamydota.[4] In 1971 John S. Dugdale assigned Xanthorhoe chlamydota to the genus Asaphodes.[5]

Description

Hudson described the species as follows:

The expansion of the wings is about ​1 1⁄4 inches. The fore-wings are pale ochreous; with two broad, dark, purplish-brown bands. The first, which is at the base, is slightly paler near the body, and strongly curved outwards towards the termen; it is followed by several very line pale brown transverse lines. The second band is broad, and is situated near the middle of the wing; its inner edge is curved inwards, and its outer edge has two rounded projections, one very large about the middle, and another much smaller near the dorsum; the middle portion of this central hand is considerably paler than the edges; the two projects of the central band are boarded with bright red. The upper part of the termen is ochreous, with several faint brown marks; the lower part is dull grey. The hind-wings are dark ochreous, with a few obscure purplish-grey markings; the termen of the hind-wing projects slightly near the middle, and is rather jagged.[4]

Distribution

A. chlamydota is endemic to New Zealand[1] and can be found in the lower North Island and the South Island. Meyrick stated this species was present in Wellington, Christchurch and Akaroa,[3] and Hudson mentioned the species is present in the Wellington Botanic Garden.[4] Specimens of this species have been collected in the Mid Canterbury (MC) specimen collection locality (as defined by Crosby et al.).[6] A. chlamydota was also found to be present in the Dansey ecological district in Otago.[7]

Ecology and habitat

The habitat of this species is amongst forest[4] and shrubland.[8][9] It has been found at altitudes of below 500 m.[7]

Host plants

A. chlamydota feeds on plants within the genus Clematis including Clematis afoliata.[10]

Flight patterns

A. chlamyota is regarded as having intermediate flight powers and remains active during light breezes.[9]

Occurrence

Adult A. chlamydota are regarded as normally being present during the months of November to April.[4] However specimens have also been collected in October.[7]

References
  1. "Asaphodes chlamydota (Meyrick, 1883)". New Zealand Organisms Register. Landcare Research New Zealand Ltd. Retrieved 16 December 2017.
  2. Meyrick, Edward (1883). "Monograph of New Zealand Geometrina". New Zealand Journal of Science. 1: 526–531 – via Biodiversity Heritage Library.
  3. Meyrick, Edward (1883). "A Monograph of the New Zealand Geometrina". Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute. 16: 49–113 – via Biodiversity Heritage Library.
  4. Hudson, G. V. (1898). New Zealand Moths and Butterflies (Macro-lepidoptera). London: West, Newman & co. pp. 59–60. doi:10.5962/bhl.title.7912.
  5. Dugdale, J. S. (10 November 1971). "Entomology of the Aucklands and other Islands south of New Zealand: Lepidoptera, excluding non-Crambine Pyralidae" (PDF). Pacific Insects Monograph. 27: 55–172 – via Bishop Museum.
  6. Dugdale, J. S. (1988). "Lepidoptera – annotated catalogue, and keys to family-group taxa" (PDF). Fauna of New Zealand. 14: 172. Retrieved 15 December 2017.
  7. Patrick, B. H. (1991). Insects of the Dansey ecological district (PDF). Wellington, N.Z.: New Zealand Department of Conservation. p. 17. ISBN 0478012853. OCLC 154612987.
  8. "Obelisk Station Crown Pastoral Land Tenure Review: Conservation Resources Report - Part 4". Land Information New Zealand. December 2010. p. 11. Retrieved 16 December 2017.
  9. White, E. G. (1991). "The changing abundance of moths in a tussock grassland, 1962-1989, and 50- to 70-year trends". New Zealand Journal of Ecology. 15 (1): 5–22. S2CID 89398506.
  10. Patrick, Hamish J.H.; Bowie, Mike H.; Fox, Barry W.; Patrick, Brian H. (2011). "The moths of Quail Island (Ōtamahua): a faunal comparison of an island under restoration with other sites on Banks Peninsula" (PDF). New Zealand Natural Sciences. 36: 57–72. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2017-12-16.
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