Mallobathra tonnoiri

Mallobathra tonnoiri
Illustration of male
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Psychidae
Genus: Mallobathra
Species:
M. tonnoiri
Binomial name
Mallobathra tonnoiri

Mallobathra tonnoiri is a moth of the family Psychidae.[1] It was described by Alfred Philpott in 1927. This species is endemic to New Zealand and has been observed in the South Island. Adults are on the wing in December.

Taxonomy

This species was first described by Alfred Philpott in 1927 using a male specimen collected by André Léon Tonnoir at Lake Brunner in December.[2][3] M. tonnoiri was discussed and illustrated by George Hudson in 1939.[4] J. S. Dugdale confirmed the placement of this species in the genus Mallobathra in 1971.[5] The male holotype specimen is held at the Canterbury Museum.[3]

Description

Philpott described this species as follows:

♂. 16 mm. Head, thorax and abdomen blackish-fuscous. Antennae blackish-fuscous, ciliations in male 2 ½. Forewings, costa moderately arched, subsinuate, apex rounded, termen oblique; dark brownish-fuscous obscurely strigulated with ochreous; an undefined patch of paler ochreous on dorsum near base; a large spot of whitish-ochreous on dorsum beyond middle; fringes dark purplish-fuscous. Hindwings and fringes dark fuscous with purplish sheen.[2]

This species is similar in appearance to M. strigulata but lacks the large dark dorsal patch on the wings of M.strigulata.[2] It is also similar in appearance to M. fenwicki but is larger and darker.[2]

Distribution

Lake Brunner, type locality of M. tonnoiri.

This species is endemic to New Zealand.[1] This species has been observed in the West Coast and the Wellington regions and has also been collected at Homer.[4][6]

Behaviour

Adults are on the wing in December.[2]

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Mallobathra tonnoiri.
  1. ^ a b c Gordon, Dennis P., ed. (2010). New Zealand inventory of biodiversity: Kingdom animalia: chaetognatha, ecdysozoa, ichnofossils. Vol. 2. p. 463. ISBN 978-1-877257-93-3. OCLC 973607714. OL 25288394M. Wikidata Q45922947.
  2. ^ a b c d e Alfred Philpott (15 August 1927). "Notes and Descriptions of New Zealand Lepidoptera". Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute. 58: 90. ISSN 1176-6158. Wikidata Q107580217.
  3. ^ a b Dugdale , J. S. (23 September 1988). "Lepidoptera - annotated catalogue, and keys to family-group taxa". Fauna of New Zealand. 14. Department of Scientific and Industrial Research: 69. doi:10.7931/J2/FNZ.14. ISSN 0111-5383. Wikidata Q45083134.
  4. ^ a b George Vernon Hudson (1939), A supplement to the butterflies and moths of New Zealand, Illustrator: George Hudson, Wellington: Ferguson and Osborn Limited, p. 468, OCLC 9742724, Wikidata Q109420935 Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  5. ^ Dugdale, J. S. (10 November 1971). "Entomology of the Aucklands and other islands south of New Zealand: Lepidoptera, excluding non-crambine Pyralidae". Pacific Insects Monographs. 27: 139. ISSN 0078-7515. Wikidata Q64006453.
  6. ^ W George Howes (September 1946). "Lepidoptera collecting at the Homer, with descriptions of new species". Transactions and Proceedings of the Royal Society of New Zealand. 76: 139–147. ISSN 1176-6166. Wikidata Q62091906.