Protithona fugitivana

Protithona fugitivana
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Tortricidae
Genus:	Protithona
Species:	P. fugitivana
Binomial name
Protithona fugitivana Meyrick, 1883[1]
Synonyms[2]
Eurythecta varia Philpott, 1916

Illustration by George Hudson c. 1927

Protithona fugitivana is a species of moth of the family Tortricidae. It is endemic to New Zealand.[2]

The wingspan is 9–10 mm for males and 10–12 mm for females. The forewings are dull to bright ochreous, mixed with dark fuscous. There is a white or pale-ochreous streak from the base to one third of the wing, margined beneath by a dark-fuscous blotch. The forewings of the females are almost wholly suffused with greyish fuscous. The hindwings are greyish fuscous.[3]

Habitat and host species

The larvae of this moth is semi-aquatic and can be found in and around seepages or on surface detritus near moist areas.[4] The larvae pupates in turf.[4] The larvae feed on Potamogeton species.[5]

References

1. Gilligan, T. M.; Baixeras, J.; Brown, J. W.; Tuck, K. R. "Protithona species". www.tortricidae.com. tortricid.net. Retrieved 17 January 2017.
2. "Protithona fugitivana Meyrick, 1882". www.nzor.org.nz. Landcare Research New Zealand Ltd. Retrieved 2017-01-16.
3. Philpott, Alfred (1916). "New species of Lepidoptera". Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute. 48: 420–423 – via Biodiversity Heritage Library. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
4. Patrick, B.H. (1991). Insects of the Dansey ecological district (PDF). Wellington [N.Z.]: Dept. of Conservation. ISBN 0-478-01285-3. ISSN 0113-3713. Retrieved 17 January 2017.
5. Charles, J. G.; Dugdale, J. S. (February 2011). "Non-target species selection for host-range testing of Mastrus ridens". New Zealand Entomologist. 34 (1): 45–51. doi:10.1080/00779962.2011.9722208. ISSN 0077-9962. Wikidata Q54666011.