Austrocidaria parora

Austrocidaria parora is a species of moth of the family Geometridae. It is endemic to New Zealand.

Austrocidaria parora
Female
Male
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Arthropoda
Class:
Insecta
Order:
Lepidoptera
Family:
Geometridae
Tribe:
Xanthorhoini
Genus:
Austrocidaria
Species:
A. parora
Binomial name
Austrocidaria parora
(Meyrick, 1884)
Synonyms
  • Harpalyce parora Meyrick, 1884
  • Probolaea parora (Meyrick, 1884)
  • Asaphodes parora (Myrick, 1884)

Taxonomy

This species was described by Edward Meyrick in 1884 as Harpalyce parora.[1][2] In 1886 Meyrick recognised that the genus name he had used for this species had been used previously and renamed the genus in which he placed this species as Probolaea.[3] In 1898 George Hudson placed this species within the Asaphodes genus.[4] In 1906 George Howes, discussing the species under the name Asaphodes parora, also illustrated it.[5] In 1928 Hudson discussed and illustrated the species again under the name Asaphodes parora.[6] In 1988 J. S. Dugdale placed this species within the genus Austrocidaria.[7]

The lectotype specimen is held at the Natural History Museum, London.[7]

Description

Hudson described this species in 1898 as follows:

Male, female. — 29-34 mm. (about ​1 1⁄4 inches) . Fore-wings moderate, apex acute, termen excavated on upper half, acutely projecting in middle ; varying from light grey to light reddish-fuscous ; about eighteen irregular dentate darker striae, sometimes partially obsolete; first three, seventh and eighth, and eleventh to thirteenth usually more distinct and blackish ; seventh and eighth closely approximated, forming a small blackish or reddish spot on dorsum, sometimes partially suffused with blackish ; eleventh to thirteenth closely approximated, widely remote from eighth, parallel to termen ; a blackish discal dot ; sometimes a broad purplish-grey median band ; sixteenth sometimes spotted with blackish towards costa; a terminal row of blackish dots. Hind-wings moderate, upper angle broadly projecting, termen shortly projecting in middle ; varying from whitish-grey to very pale reddish- fuscous, faintly striated with darker.[4]

It is regarded as being variable in colour.[4]

Distribution

Austrocidaria parora is endemic to New Zealand.[8][9] The lectotype specimen was collected at Riccarton Bush in Christchurch. This species has also been collected at Mount Ruapehu,[6] Whanganui,[6] Lake Horowhenua,[6] Wellington,[4] Greymouth,[10] Mount Hutt,[4] Central Otago,[11][12] and Invercargill.[6]

Behaviour and biology

Adults have been recorded as being on wing in January and February as well as in August and September.[10][13] The larvae feed on Coprosma species.[12]

References
  1. Meyrick, Edward (1884). "Supplement to a monograph of the New Zealand Geometridae". New Zealand Journal of Science. 2: 234–235 – via Biodiversity Heritage Library.
  2. Meyrick, Edward (1885). "Supplement to a Monograph of the New Zealand Geometrina". Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute. 17: 62–68 – via Biodiversity Heritage Library.
  3. Meyrick, Edward (May 1886). "Notes on Nomenclature of New Zealand Geometrina". Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute. 18: 184 – via Biodiversity Heritage Library.
  4. Hudson, G. V. (1898). New Zealand moths and butterflies (Macro-lepidoptera). London: West, Newman & Co. p. 56. doi:10.5962/bhl.title.32466 – via Biodiversity Heritage Library.
  5. Howes, George (1906). "Note on the Occurrence of Two Rare and Two Introduced Moths". Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute. 38: 509 – via Biodiversity Heritage Library.
  6. Hudson, G. V. (1928). The Butterflies and Moths of New Zealand. Wellington: Ferguson & Osborn Ltd. pp. 108–109.
  7. Dugdale, J. S. (1988). "Lepidoptera - annotated catalogue, and keys to family-group taxa" (PDF). Fauna of New Zealand. 14: 175. Retrieved 24 September 2019.
  8. Gordon, Dennis P., ed. (2010). New Zealand Inventory of Biodiversity. Volume two. Kingdom Animalia: Chaetognatha, Ecdysozoa, Ichnofossils. 2. Christchurch, N.Z.: Canterbury University Press. p. 459. ISBN 9781877257933. OCLC 973607714.
  9. "Austrocidaria parora (Meyrick, 1884)". www.nzor.org.nz. Landcare Research New Zealand Ltd. Retrieved 2017-08-22.
  10. Lyford, Brian M. (1994). "Lepidoptera and Trichoptera from Paroa, near Greymouth, New Zealand". New Zealand Entomologist. 17 (1): 46–51. CiteSeerX 10.1.1.728.7273. doi:10.1080/00779962.1994.9721984. ISSN 0077-9962.
  11. Wildland Consultants Ltd (2017). "Evaluation of a proposed significant natural area at Mt Iron, Wanaka" (PDF). Queenstown Lakes District Council. Retrieved 25 September 2019.
  12. Department of Conservation (July 2005). Crown Pastoral Land Tenure Review - Lake Hawea part 1 (PDF) (Report). Land Information New Zealand. Retrieved 22 August 2017.
  13. Philpott, Alfred (1930). "The Lepidoptera of Mount Cook District, with descriptions of new species" (PDF). Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute. 61: 419–439 – via National Library of New Zealand.
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