Notoreas galaxias

Notoreas galaxias
Female
Male
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Geometridae
Genus: Notoreas
Species:
N. galaxias
Binomial name
Notoreas galaxias
Hudson, 1928

Notoreas galaxias is a species of moth in the family Geometridae. This species is endemic to New Zealand and has been observed in the southern half of the South Island. The species inhabits alpine herbfields and their larvae feed on species in the genera Kelleria and Drapetes. The adults are on the wing February to March.

Taxonomy

This species was described by George Hudson in 1928 using material collected in February 1906 in the Old Man Range / Kopuwai in Central Otago at an elevation of about 1200 metres by J. H. Lewis.[1][2] The genus Notoreas was reviewed in 1986 by R. C. Craw and the placement of this species within it was confirmed.[3] However this species may be of dubious taxonomic status.[4] The holotype specimen is held at the National Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa.[2]

Description

Notoreas galaxias female holotype

Hudson described the species as follows:

The expansion of the wings is about 1 inch. All the wings are brownish-black with broad creamy-white markings; there is a broad oblique band between the basal patch and median band containing a series of four small blackish blotches; the outer edge of the median band is boarded by a very broad creamy-white band strongly angulated outwards near the middle; a similar but broader and yellower band crosses the middle of the hind wings; there is a fine wavy subterminal line with a conspicuous whitish spot in the middle of the termen of both fore- and hind-wings. The head and body are blackish sprinkled with whitish scales; the palpi black with the base of the apical joint white. The markings on the underside resemble those above except that the area of creamy-white colouring is very much greater.[1]

Distribution

This species is endemic to New Zealand.[5][6] It has been found in Central Otago at its type locality of Old Man Range as well as in the Dansey Ecological District and at Slate Basin and Symmetry Peak in the Eyre Ecological District.[1][7][8]

Biology and behaviour

This species is on the wing in February and March.[1][8]

Habitat and host species

Notoreas galaxias prefers herbfield alpine habitat.[1][9] Larvae of this moth have been found to feed on species in the Kelleria and Drapetes genera.[7][8][10]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e Hudson, G. V. (1928). The Butterflies and Moths of New Zealand. Wellington: Ferguson & Osborn Ltd. p. 125. OCLC 25449322.
  2. ^ a b "Notoreas galaxias Hudson, 1928 Holotype". collections.tepapa.govt.nz. Retrieved 2018-11-12.
  3. ^ Craw, R.C. (5 January 2012). "Review of the genus Notoreas (sensu auctorum (Lepidoptera: Geometridae: Larentiinae)". New Zealand Journal of Zoology. 13 (1): 131–140. doi:10.1080/03014223.1986.10422654.
  4. ^ Hoare, R. J. B; Rhode, B.E.; Emmerson, A.W. (2011). "Larger moths of New Zealand: Image gallery and online guide". Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research. Archived from the original on 24 January 2019. Retrieved 13 November 2018.
  5. ^ "Notoreas galaxias Hudson, 1928". www.nzor.org.nz. Landcare Research New Zealand Ltd. Retrieved 13 November 2018.
  6. ^ Gordon, Dennis P., ed. (2010). New Zealand inventory of biodiversity: Kingdom animalia: chaetognatha, ecdysozoa, ichnofossils. Vol. 2. p. 460. ISBN 978-1-877257-93-3. OCLC 973607714. OL 25288394M. Wikidata Q45922947.
  7. ^ a b Mark, A. F.; Dickinson, K. J. M.; Patrick, B. H.; Barratt, B. I. P.; Loh, G.; McSweeney, G. D.; Meurk, C. D.; Timmins, S. M.; Simpson, N. C. (1989-12-01). "An ecological survey of the central part of the Eyre Ecological District, northern Southland, New Zealand". Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand. 19 (4): 349–384. doi:10.1080/03036758.1989.10421841. ISSN 0303-6758.
  8. ^ a b c Patrick, B.H. (1991). Insects of the Dansey ecological district (PDF). Wellington [N.Z.]: Dept. of Conservation. ISBN 978-0-478-01285-9. ISSN 0113-3713. Retrieved 13 November 2018.
  9. ^ "Obelisk Station Crown Pastoral Land Tenure Review: Conservation Resources Report - Part 4". www.linz.govt.nz/. Land Information New Zealand. December 2010. p. 10. Retrieved 13 November 2018.
  10. ^ 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.