Notoreas chioneres

Notoreas chioneres is a species of moth in the family Geometridae. This species is endemic to New Zealand.

Notoreas chioneres
Female
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Geometridae
Genus: Notoreas
Species:
N. chioneres
Binomial name
Notoreas chioneres
Prout, 1939[1]

Taxonomy

This species was described by Louis Beethoven Prout in 1939 using material collected at Obelisk, Old Man Range in Otago by George Howes.[2][3] In 1986 Robin C. Craw reviewed the genus Notoreas and confirmed the inclusion of N. chioneres within it.[4] The holotype specimen is held at the Natural History Museum, London.[3]

Description

This species has a wingspan of 23 mm and is similar in appearance to N. isoleuca.[2]

Distribution

This species is endemic to New Zealand.[1][5] It is found in the mountain ranges of Central Otago as well as in the Kakanui Mountains at altitudes of between 1200 and 1500 metres.[6][7]

Biology and behaviour

This species is a day flying moth.[8] It is on the wing from December to February.[6] Adult moths, when settled, continue to vibrate their wings ensuring they are immediately ready to take off should they be disturbed.[8] Although they prefer sunshine they will continue to fly when conditions are cloudy.[8] They fly relatively low to the ground.[8] When resting for long periods they adopt the posture of holding their wings together above their body.[8]

Habitat and host species

This species frequents alpine herbfield habitat.[9] The larvae of this species feed on Kelleria villosa.[6][10]

gollark: Worrying.
gollark: So, is anything ever working?
gollark: Please hold on while Polytopia updates.
gollark: Worrying.
gollark: Well, BEE apiform, as they say.

References
  1. "Notoreas chioneres Prout, 1939". www.nzor.org.nz. Landcare Research New Zealand Ltd. Retrieved 2018-06-16.
  2. Prout, L. B. (1939). "Geometridae: Fauna Indo-Australica". The Macrolepidoptera of the World (Stuttgart). 12: 237–292 – via Biodiversity Heritage Library.
  3. Dugdale, J. S. (1988). "Lepidoptera - annotated catalogue, and keys to family-group taxa" (PDF). Fauna of New Zealand. 14: 184. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
  4. Craw, R.C. (5 January 2012). "Review of the genus Notoreas (Lepidoptera: Geometridae: Larentiinae)". New Zealand Journal of Zoology. 13 (1): 131–140. doi:10.1080/03014223.1986.10422654.
  5. 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. 460. ISBN 9781877257933. OCLC 973607714.
  6. Patrick, Brian (1991). Insects of the Dansey ecological district (PDF). Wellington: Department of Conservation, New Zealand. pp. 8, 18. ISBN 978-0478012859. Retrieved 16 June 2018.
  7. Dickinson, K. J. M.; Mark, A. F.; Barratt, B. I. P.; Patrick, B. H. (March 1998). "Rapid ecological survey, inventory and implementation: A case study from Waikaia Ecological Region, New Zealand". Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand. 28 (1): 83–156. doi:10.1080/03014223.1998.9517556.
  8. Patrick, BH; Hoare, RJB; Rhode, BE (December 2010). "Taxonomy and conservation of allopatric moth populations: a revisionary study of the Notoreas perornata Walker complex (Lepidoptera: Geometridae: Larentiinae), with special reference to southern New Zealand". New Zealand Journal of Zoology. 37 (4): 257–283. doi:10.1080/03014223.2010.511127.
  9. "Crown Pastoral Land Tenure Review. Obelisk Station PO 264 Conservation Resources Report - Part 4" (PDF). www.linz.govt.nz. December 2010. Retrieved 16 January 2018.
  10. "Herbivore Report With Reasons - Notoreas chioneres Prout, 1939". www.plant-synz.landcareresearch.co.nz. 2011. Retrieved 16 June 2018.
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