Forest ringlet

The forest ringlet (Dodonidia helmsii), also known as Helms' butterfly, is a rare butterfly of the family Nymphalidae endemic to New Zealand. It is the only species in the genus Dodonidia.

Forest ringlet
Upperside
Underside
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Arthropoda
Class:
Insecta
Order:
Lepidoptera
Family:
Nymphalidae
Tribe:
Satyrini
Subtribe:
Hypocystina
Genus:
Dodonidia

Butler, 1884
Species:
D. helmsii
Binomial name
Dodonidia helmsii
Butler, 1884[1]
Synonyms

[Dodonidia] helmsi Fereday, 1883

Taxonomy

The forest ringlet was first described by Richard William Fereday from a specimen collected in the Paparoa Range by a Mr R. Helms of Greymouth. Fereday gave it the specific name helmsi, but would not speculate as to its genus.[2] The species was properly named in 1884 by Arthur Gardiner Butler, who coined the genus Dodonidia, from its resemblance to the Asian Dodona butterflies, and corrected the spelling of the species name to D. Helmsii (now D. helmsii).[3]

Because it was named after Helms, it is properly known as "Helms' butterfly", although this is often misspelled as "Helm's butterfly". The name "forest ringlet" is more commonly used.

Ecology

The forest ringlet caterpillar is nocturnal and feeds on "cutty grass" (Gahnia) and bush snowgrass (Chionochloa) from spring to early autumn. Adults live for three or four weeks and are fast-flying, found in January and February in clearings or near forest edges, mainly in beech (Nothofagus) forest north of about Lewis Pass.[4]

Conservation

Dodonidia helmsii was once widespread in New Zealand, including the Wellington and Auckland area, but has become significantly rarer over the last 50 years.[4] There are two causes: the increasing rarity in lowland areas of the sedges that are its food plant, and the introduction of predatory wasps to New Zealand that prey on its larvae.[5] Forest ringlets have disappeared from forest below 400 m altitude, but are still found at 600 m or higher, the altitudinal limit for the German and common wasps.[6] This species has been classified as having the "At Risk, Relict" conservation status under the New Zealand Threat Classification System.[7]

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References
  1. Savela, Markku. "Dodonidia helmsii Butler, 1884". Lepidoptera and Some Other Life Forms. Retrieved February 28, 2018.
  2. Fereday, R. W. (1883). "Description of a Species of Butterfly new to New Zealand and probably to Science". Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute. 15: 193–195.
  3. Butler, Arthur G. (1884). "On a new Genus of Butterfly from New Zealand". The Annals and Magazine of Natural History: Including Zoology, Botany, and Geology. 5. 13: 171–173.
  4. Crowe, Andrew (2002). Which New Zealand Insect?. Auckland: Penguin. p. 14. ISBN 0-14-100636-6.
  5. "Forest ringlet butterfly (Dodonidia helmsii)". T.E.R:R.A.I.N. – Taranaki Educational Resource: Research Analysis and Education Network. Retrieved 30 September 2016.
  6. Hansford, Dave (Jan–Feb 2009). "Ghosts of Summer". New Zealand Geographic (95).
  7. Hoare, R.J.B.; Dugdale, J.S.; Edwards, E.D.; Gibbs, G.W.; Patrick, B.H.; Hitchmough, R.A.; Rolfe, J.R. (2017). "Conservation status of New Zealand butterflies and moths (Lepidoptera), 2015" (PDF). New Zealand Threat Classification Series. 20: 7.
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