''Dichromodes gypsotis'' (also known as the marbled lichen carpet moth) is a

moth Moths are a group of insects that includes all members of the order Lepidoptera that are not Butterfly, butterflies. They were previously classified as suborder Heterocera, but the group is Paraphyly, paraphyletic with respect to butterflies (s ...

of the family

Geometridae The geometer moths are moth Moths are a group of insects that includes all members of the order Lepidoptera that are not Butterfly, butterflies. They were previously classified as suborder Heterocera, but the group is Paraphyly, paraphyleti ...

. This species was described by

Edward Meyrick Edward Meyrick (25 November 1854 – 31 March 1938) was an English schoolmaster and amateur entomologist. He was an expert on microlepidoptera and some consider him one of the founders of modern microlepidoptera systematics. Life and work Ed ...

in 1888. It is

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found only in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also foun ...

New Zealand New Zealand () is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and List of islands of New Zealand, over 600 smaller islands. It is the List of isla ...

and is found in the lower half of the

South Island The South Island ( , 'the waters of Pounamu, Greenstone') is the largest of the three major islands of New Zealand by surface area, the others being the smaller but more populous North Island and Stewart Island. It is bordered to the north by ...

. The species inhabits open rocky sites. The larvae of ''D. gypsotis'' feed on lichen. The adults are day flying and are on the wing from October to January.

Taxonomy

This species was first described by Edward Meyrick in 1888. Meyrick had previously described the specimen he used to establish ''D. gypsotis'' in 1884 mistakenly thinking he was describing the female of the species ''Cacopsodos niger''. He corrected this error in the 1888 publication recognising it as a new species. George Hudson discussed and illustrated this species in his 1928 book ''The butterflies and moths of New Zealand''. The female

holotype A holotype (Latin: ''holotypus'') is a single physical example (or illustration) of an organism used when the species (or lower-ranked taxon) was formally described. It is either the single such physical example (or illustration) or one of s ...

specimen, collected by Meyrick at

Lake Wakatipu Lake Wakatipu () is an inland lake (finger lake) in the South Island of New Zealand. It is in the southwest corner of the Otago region, near its boundary with Southland, New Zealand, Southland. ''Lake Wakatipu'' comes from the original Māori l ...

in December at approximate 460m above sea-level, is held at the

Natural History Museum, London The Natural History Museum in London is a museum that exhibits a vast range of specimens from various segments of natural history. It is one of three major museums on Exhibition Road in South Kensington, the others being the Science Museum (Lo ...

Description

The larvae of this species resembles the larvae of '' D. ida''. Alfred Philpott discussed the larvae as follows: Meyrick described the adult female of this species as follows:

Distribution

This species is endemic to New Zealand. As well as the type locality of Lake Wakatipu ''D. gypostis'' has been observed at

Poolburn Poolburn is a small rural settlement in Central Otago, in the South Island of New Zealand. It is located in the Ida Valley nine kilometres to the southeast of Ophir Ophir (; ) is a port or region mentioned in the Bible, famous for its wealth ...

, Central Otago, at Jacks Pass in Hanmer,

Mount Grey Mount Grey (officially Mount Grey / Maukatere) is a mountain west of Amberley in New Zealand. It is named after Sir George Grey who was governor of New Zealand when English surveyors climbed it in 1849. In Te Reo Māori, the mountain is cal ...

Aoraki / Mount Cook Aoraki / Mount Cook is the highest mountain in New Zealand. Its height, , is listed as . It is situated in the Southern Alps, the mountain range that runs the length of the South Island. A popular tourist destination, it is also a favourite ch ...

, and in the Takitimo Mountains.

Habitat and hosts

This species inhabits open rocky sites in Otago and Southland. The larvae of ''D. gypsotis'' feed on lichens.

Behaviour

The adults of this species is day flying. They are on the wing from October until January.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q13536190 Oenochrominae Moths described in 1888 Moths of New Zealand Endemic fauna of New Zealand Taxa named by Edward Meyrick Endemic moths of New Zealand