Asaphodes cataphracta

Asaphodes cataphracta is a moth in the family Geometridae. It is endemic to New Zealand and is found in the South Island.

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

Taxonomy

This species was first described by Edward Meyrick in 1883 as Larentia cataphracta.[2] George Hudson further discussed the species in his 1898 volume New Zealand moths and butterflies and referred to it as Xanthorhoe cataphracta.[3]

Description

Hudson described the species as follows:

"The fore-wings are dull yellowish-brown, with numerous slightly waved oblique black and white transverse bands ; one very broad white band is situated near the middle, and another at about three-fourths ; there is a broad longitudinal reddish-brown line on the costal edge, in which the transverse lines almost disappear ; there is also a pale, somewhat triangular, area at the apex. The hind-wings are very pale greyish-ochreous. The cilia of all the wings are very pale ochreous. The female is duller and paler than the male."[3]

Distribution and habitat

A. cataphracta is endemic to New Zealand[1][4] and can be found in the South Island. Specimens of this species have been collected in the North Canterbury (NC) and Westland (WD) specimen collection localities as described by Crosby et al.[5] The species was collected in February in the Mount Cook district by Alfred Philpott[6] as well as at Arthur's Pass to Lake Wakatipu up to 1200m by Meyrick.[2] Hudson stated the species occurred in abundance in the Humboldt mountains.[3] Specimens were also collected in tussock country near the Homer saddle by George Howes.[7]

The habitat of this species is grassy mountain side slopes.[3]

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References
  1. "Asaphodes cataphracta (Meyrick, 1883)". www.nzor.org.nz. Landcare Research New Zealand Ltd. Retrieved 5 December 2017.
  2. Meyrick, Edward (1883). "Monograph of New Zealand Geometrina". New Zealand Journal of Science. v. 1: 526–531 – via Biodiversity Heritage Library.
  3. Hudson, G. V. (1898). New Zealand moths and butterflies (Macro-lepidoptera). London: West, Newman & co. p. 61. doi:10.5962/bhl.title.7912.
  4. Gordon, Dennis P., ed. (2010). New Zealand inventory of biodiversity. Volume two. Kingdom animalia : chaetognatha, ecdysozoa, ichnofossils. Vol. 2. Christchurch, N.Z.: Canterbury University Press. p. 459. ISBN 9781877257933. OCLC 973607714.
  5. Dugdale, J. S. (1988). "Lepidoptera – annotated catalogue, and keys to family-group taxa" (PDF). Fauna of New Zealand. 14: 172. Retrieved 15 December 2017.
  6. Philpott, A. (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.
  7. Howes, W. George. "Lepidoptera Collecting at the Homer. With Descriptions of Two New Species" (PDF). Transactions and Proceedings of the Royal Society of New Zealand. 73: 90–96 – via National Library of New Zealand.


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