Mnesarchaea fallax

Mnesarchaea fallax is a species of primitive moth in the family Mnesarchaeidae. It is endemic to New Zealand. This species is classified as "Not Threatened" by the Department of Conservation.

Mnesarchaea fallax
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Mnesarchaeidae
Genus: Mnesarchaea
Species:
M. fallax
Binomial name
Mnesarchaea fallax

Taxonomy

This species was described by Alfred Philpott in 1927 using specimens collected at Mount Arthur tableland at 1400m in December.[1][2] George Hudson discussed the species in 1928 in his book The Butterflies and Moths of New Zealand.[3] The holotype specimen is held at the New Zealand Arthropod Collection.[4]

Description

Philpott described the species as follows:

♂ 10 mm. Head, palpi and antennae bronzy-brown. Thorax and abdomen purplish-brown. Legs greyish-fuscous. Forewings lanceolate, costa moderately arched; bronzy-brown; a white triangular spot with a few white scales above it on tornus; a few white scales beneath costa at ​4⁄5 and along termen: fringes bronzy-brown. white on tornus. Hindwings fuscous with purplish-violet sheen apically: fringes greyish-fuscous.[2]

This species is very similar in appearance to M. fusca but differs by being slightly larger in size and narrower of wing.[3]

Distribution

This species is endemic to New Zealand.[5] Along with its type locality, this species is also found at Ruapehu & Mount Taranaki as well as from Nelson to Lewis Pass.[6][7]

Biology and behaviour

This species is on the wing from October to November.[6] It is a day flying moth that is not attracted to light.[6]

Conservation status

This species has been classified as "Not Threatened" under the New Zealand Threat Classification System.[8]

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References
  1. "Mnesarchaea fallax Philpott, 1927". www.nzor.org.nz. Landcare Research New Zealand Ltd. Retrieved 2018-05-29.
  2. Philpott, A. (1927). "N.Z. Lepidoptera: notes and descriptions". Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute. 57: 703–709.
  3. Hudson, G. V. (1928). The Butterflies and Moths of New Zealand. Wellington: Ferguson & Osborn Ltd. p. 367.
  4. Dugdale, J. S. (1988). "Lepidoptera-annotated catalogue, and keys to family-group taxa" (PDF). Fauna of New Zealand. 14: 1–264 – via Landcare Research New Zealand Ltd.
  5. 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. 461. ISBN 9781877257933. OCLC 973607714.
  6. "NZTCS - Lepidoptera spreadsheet". www.doc.govt.nz. 2013. Retrieved 29 May 2018.
  7. Gibbs, G.W. (October 1989). "Local or global? Biogeography of some primitive Lepidoptera in New Zealand". New Zealand Journal of Zoology. 16 (4): 689–698. doi:10.1080/03014223.1989.10422927.
  8. 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: 9.
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