Nivetica nervosa

Nivetica nervosa is a moth of the family Noctuidae. It is only found in New Zealand. This species can be found in wetland habitat in the alpine zone of the South Island. It is a small, distinctively patterned moth that is attracted to light. Currently much of its biology and life cycle is unknown.

Nivetica nervosa
Female
Male
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Noctuidae
Genus:	Nivetica
Species:	N. nervosa
Binomial name
Nivetica nervosa (Hudson, 1922)[1]
Synonyms[1]
Ichneutica nervosa Hudson, 1922

Taxonomy

This species was first described by George Vernon Hudson in 1922 from a specimen collected on Bold Peak, Lake Wakatipu by F. S. Oliver on the night of December 1910.[2] Hudson originally named the species Icheutica nervosa.[2] Hudson discussed and illustrated this species under that same name in his 1928 publication The butterflies and moths of New Zealand.[3] In 1988 John S. Dugdale also discussed this species under the name Ichneutica nervosa.[4] However in 2019 Robert J. B. Hoare published a paper in which he undertook a major review of New Zealand noctuids. Hoare, having inspected specimens of this species, placed it within the newly described genus Nivetica.[1]

Description

Hudson originally described the species as follows:

The expansion of the wings of the male is almost 1 ​¹⁄₄ inches. The forewings have the costa almost straight, the apex rather acute and the termen obliquely rounded ; bright ochreous with the veins heavily marked in clear white and with black markings between the veins ; a small black spot at the base ; an elongate blotch between vein 1 and the dorsum ; two elongate marks between veins 1 and 2; wedge shaped marks at the origins of veins 2, 3, 4, and 5; a large blotch between veins 5 and 6 ; a much smaller blotch between veins 6 and 7; two obscure elongate marks in disc immediately below middle of costa and two obscure blackish lines between the costal and subcostal veins ; a curved series of subterminal spots and a series of elongate terminal marks. The hind-wings are greyish-brown. The cilia of all the wings are whitish-ochreous. The head is pale brownish-ochreous. The thorax is densely clothed with brownish-ochreous hair with a brown horseshoe-like mark in the middle. The abdomen is pale ochreous. The antennae, which are heavily bipectinated throughout, are reddish-ochreoiis.[2]

The adult male moth has a wingspan of 28—32mm while the female's wingspan is slightly larger at 35mm.[1]

Geographic range

N. nervosa is endemic to New Zealand and the species is widespread in the alpine zone of the South Island.[1]

Habitat

This species prefers alpine wetland habitat.[1]

Host species

The host species of this moth are unknown.[1]

Life history

Little is known of the life history of this species of moth however the adults of N. nervosa are on the wing in December and January.[1]

References

1. Hoare, Robert J. B. (2019-12-09). "Noctuinae (Insecta: Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) part 2: Nivetica, Ichneutica". Fauna of New Zealand. 80: 1–455. doi:10.7931/J2/FNZ.80.
2. G. V. Hudson (1922). "Descriptions of Two New Species of Lepidoptera from New Zealand". Entomologist's Monthly Magazine. 58: 196–197. ISSN 0013-8908. Wikidata Q104416718.
3. George Vernon Hudson (1928), The butterflies and moths of New Zealand, Illustrator: George Hudson, Wellington, OCLC 25449322, Wikidata Q58593286
4. John Stewart Dugdale (23 September 1988). "Lepidoptera - annotated catalogue, and keys to family-group taxa" (PDF). Fauna of New Zealand. Department of Scientific and Industrial Research. 14: 1–264. ISSN 0111-5383. Wikidata Q45083134.