This species was described by Edward Meyrick in 1923 from specimens obtained by George Hudson at Breaker Bay in Wellington.[3] Hudson found larvae of the species in September and raised them to adulthood in November.[3] Hudson discussed and illustrated this species in his 1928 publication The Moths and Butterflies of New Zealand.[4] The lectotype is held at the Natural History Museum, London.[5]
Description
The eggs of this species are white and approximately 3mm in length, and cylindrical in shape although slightly broader at one end.[4]
The larvae, when fully grown, are approximately 2 cm long and are cylinder shaped with a tapered end.[4] The head is bright yellowish-brown, the first part of the larva is yellowish-white, then tinged with black, then whitish with irregular tinges of chocolate brown.[4]
Meyrick described the adult moths of the species as follows:
♂ 17 mm. Head ochreous-whitish, hairs greyish towards base. Palpi ochreous-whitish mixed with grey. Antennal ciliations ♂ 1+1⁄2. Thorax ochreous-whitish slightly tinged with rosy, and suffusedly mixed with grey. Abdomen light yellow-ochreous. Forewings elongate, costa slightly arched, apex obtuse, termen very obliquely rounded; light-brownish irregularly tinged with rosy-pink, and sprinkled with grey-whitish and dark fuscous; a dark-fuscous dot on base of costa; a spot of dark-fuscous irroration in disc towards base; stigmata roundish, dark fuscous, plical beneath first discal, opposite spots of dark-fuscous suffusion on costa and dorsum before these two and suffusedly connected with them, plical preceded by some white suffusion, a roundish blotch of dark-fuscous irroration between second discal and tornus, preceded by narrow whitish suffusion; an irregular illdefined and incomplete angulated subterminal line of dark-fuscous irroration, indented above angle: cilia pale ochreous tinged with rosy, base sprinkled with dark fuscous. Hindwings dark grey, lighter towards base; cilia grey.
♀ 16 mm. Abdomen yellow-ochreous, grey on sides and praeanal segment, anal segment whitish. Forewings broad-lanceolate, apex strongly and narrowly produced, pointed; colour and markings nearly as in ♂, but basal third more whitish, angularly prominent in disc, a stronger blackish mark between second discal and tornus. Hindwings rather broad-lanceolate, less than half length of forewings and about half as broad: cilia grey-whitish.[3]
Distribution
It is endemic to New Zealand.[2][6] It has been found in the North Island.[7] However this species has not been collected since 1923.[8][9]
Biology and behaviour
Larvae have been found under stones.[3] Adults emerge in early November.[4] The adult female of this species has noticeable wing reduction and is incapable of flight.[4][7]
Host species and habitat
The female adult moths place their eggs indiscriminately and they are not attached to anything.[4] The larvae of this moth live in silken cocoons in the earth and feed on grass roots.[4][7] The preferred habitat of the larvae of this species is along the sea-coast, about three metres above the high tide mark.[4]
^ abcdMeyrick, Edward (1923). "Descriptions of New Zealand Lepidoptera". Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute. 54: 162–169 – via Biodiversity Heritage Library.
