Batrachedra filicicola

Batrachedra filicicola is a species of moth in the family Batrachedridae. It is endemic to New Zealand.

Batrachedra filicicola
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Arthropoda
Class:
Insecta
Order:
Lepidoptera
Family:
Batrachedridae
Genus:
Batrachedra
Species:
B. filicicola
Binomial name
Batrachedra filicicola

Taxonomy

This species was first described by Edward Meyrick in 1917 using material collected by George Hudson at Karori on tree-ferns in November.[2] George Hudson discussed and illustrated this species in his 1928 book The Butterflies and Moths of New Zealand.[3] The lectotype specimen is held at the Natural History Museum, London.[4]

Description

Meyrick described this species as follows:

♂︎. 8 mm. Head and thorax bronzy-whitish. Palpi with appressed scales, whitish, with faint greyish marks at apex of second joint, and base and apex of terminal joint. Abdomen grey. Forewings narrow-lanceolate, apex narrowly produced ; violet-grey, becoming darker posteriorly, produced apex blackish : cilia grey, base round apical third of wing paler and sprinkled with blackish, sometimes forming indistinct dots, at apex with a short black subbasal bar. Hindwings violet-grey ; cilia grey.[2]

Distribution

B. filicicola is endemic to New Zealand.[1][5] It has been collected in Wellington and in the Hawkes Bay.[2][6]

Biology and behaviour

This species is on the wing in November and December.[3] This species is attracted to light.[6] It has been collected in sunshine by sweeping the fonds of its host the silver fern (Cyathea dealbata).[3] It is a fast runner and makes short, rapid flights.[3]

Host species

The larva of this moth feed on the spores of Cyathea dealbata.[7]

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References
  1. 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. 457. ISBN 9781877257933. OCLC 973607714.
  2. Meyrick, Edward (1917). "Descriptions of New Zealand Lepidoptera". Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute. 49: 245–247. Retrieved 19 January 2017.
  3. Hudson, G. V. (1928). The Butterflies and Moths of New Zealand. Wellington: Ferguson & Osborn Ltd. p. 304. OCLC 25449322.
  4. Dugdale, J. S. (1988). "Lepidoptera - annotated catalogue, and keys to family-group taxa" (PDF). Fauna of New Zealand. 14: 1–264. ISBN 0-477-02518-8. ISSN 0111-5383 – via Landcare Research New Zealand Ltd.
  5. "Batrachedra filicicola Meyrick, 1917". www.nzor.org.nz. Landcare Research New Zealand Ltd. Retrieved 2017-01-19.
  6. Davies, T.H. (1973). "List of Lepidoptera collected in areas surrounding Hastings and Napier". New Zealand Entomologist. 5 (2): 204–216. doi:10.1080/00779962.1973.9723002.
  7. "PlantSynz - Invertebrate herbivore biodiversity assessment tool: Database". plant-synz.landcareresearch.co.nz. Retrieved 2018-06-09.



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