This species was first described by Alfred Philpott using specimens collected by Charles Edwin Clarke at Bluecliff in Fiordland and Waitati in January and named Borkhausenia laudata.[3] In 1939 George Hudson discussed and illustrated this species under the name B. laudata.[4] In 1988 J. S. Dugdale placed this species in the genus Tingena.[2] The male holotype specimen, collected at Bluecliff, is held at the Auckland War Memorial Museum.[2]
Description
Illustration of T. laudata by George Hudson.
Philpott described this species as follows:
♂ . 13-15 mm. Head and palpi purplish brown. Antennae dark brown, minutely spotted with ochreous, ciliations in ♂ 2+1⁄2. Thorax purplish brown, apex and tips of tegulae yellow. Abdomen purplish brown. Legs fuscous, tarsi very obscurely annulated with ochreous. Forewings elongate, costa moderately arched, apex round-pointed, termen straight, oblique; bright ferruginous; beneath fold rather bright ochreous; a blackish spot below fold at 1⁄2 margined anteriorly with ferruginous and posteriorly with ochreous white: fringes ferruginous. Hindwings purplish, fuscous: fringes fuscous with darker basal line.[3]
This species is similar in appearance to T. amiculata but is smaller in size and has longer antennal ciliations.[3] The markings and colouration of the forewings is also different.[3]
Distribution
This species is endemic to New Zealand and has been observed in Fiordland and Otago.[1][4]
Behaviour
Adults of this species are on the wing in January.[4]
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