''Epiphryne undosata'', also known as the lacebark looper, 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 ...

. 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 on both the

North North is one of the four compass points or cardinal directions. It is the opposite of south and is perpendicular to east and west. ''North'' is a noun, adjective, or adverb indicating Direction (geometry), direction or geography. Etymology T ...

and

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 ...

s. It inhabits native forest. The larvae feed on plant species in the genera ''

Hoheria ''Hoheria'' is a genus of six species of flowering plants in the family Malvaceae. All are endemic (ecology), endemic to New Zealand. The genus name is a latinization of the Māori language name, ''houhere''. That name, as well as lacebark and ...

'' and '' Plagianthus.'' They pupate amongst dead leaves in a silk cocoon. The adult moths have been observed on the wing all year round but are most commonly seen from November until February. The adult moths are extremely variable in both their colour intensity and wing pattern.

Taxonomy

This species was first described by

Baron Cajetan von Felder Baron Cajetan von Felder (; 19 September 1814 – 30 November 1894) was an Austrian lawyer, entomologist and Liberalism in Austria, liberal politician. He served as List of mayors of Vienna, mayor of Vienna from 1868 to 1878. Life and career ...

Rudolf Felder Rudolf Felder (2 May 1842 in Vienna – 29 March 1871 in Vienna) was an Austrian jurist and entomologist. He was mainly interested in Lepidoptera Lepidoptera ( ) or lepidopterans is an order (biology), order of winged insects which includes ...

and

Alois Friedrich Rogenhofer Alois Friedrich Rogenhofer (22 December 1831, in Vienna – 15 January 1897, in Vienna) was an Austrian entomologist. He was a curator at the Naturhistorisches Museum in Vienna, where he was the first keeper of the Lepidoptera. Rogenhofer was main ...

in 1875 using a specimen collected in

Nelson Nelson may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Nelson'' (1918 film), a historical film directed by Maurice Elvey * ''Nelson'' (1926 film), a historical film directed by Walter Summers * ''Nelson'' (opera), an opera by Lennox Berkeley to a lib ...

by T. R. Oxley and named ''Cidaria undosata''. In 1884

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 ...

placed this species in the genus ''Epiphryne''. However

George Hudson George Hudson (probably 10 March 1800 – 14 December 1871) was an English railway financier and politician who, because he controlled a significant part of the Railway Mania, railway network in the 1840s, became known as "The Railway King"—a ...

discussed and illustrated this species in both 1898 and 1828 under the name ''Venusia undosata''. In 1988 J. S. Dugdale discussed this species under the name ''Epiphryne undosata''. The

syntype In biological nomenclature, a syntype is any one of two or more biological types that is listed in a description of a taxon where no holotype was designated. Precise definitions of this and related terms for types have been established as part o ...

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

Hudson described the larva of this species as follows: Robert Hoare pointed out that white stripe along the back of the larva helps camouflage it as it resembles the leaf vein on the leaves on some of its host plants. Hudson described the adult of the species as follows: The adult moths are variable in both colour intensity and pattern.

Distribution

This species is endemic to New Zealand. It can be found in both the North and South Islands. It is regarded as being locally common.

Habitat

This species inhabits native forest, particularly riverine forest, and has been observed in numbers near lace-bark trees. It has also been observed ''

Kunzea ericoides ''Kunzea ericoides'', commonly known as kānuka or white tea-tree, is a tree or shrub in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to New Zealand. It has white or pink flowers similar to those of ''Leptospermum'' and from its first formal desc ...

'' forest.

Life history and behaviour

The eggs of this species are greenish in colour and hatch after approximately two weeks. Larvae are active and feed on the leaves and seeds of their host plants during the New Zealand spring and summer. The larvae pupate amongst dead leaves with the pupa being enclosed in a delicate silken cocoon. Adults have been observed on the wing all year but can be seen most commonly from November until February. The adults are nocturnal, are attracted to light and have been collected via light traps.

Host plants and parasites

Larval host plants of this species include '' Hoheria glabrata'', '' Hoheria populnea'', '' Hoheria sexstylosa'', '' Plagianthus regius'', and '' Plagianthus betulinus.'' Adult ''E. undosata'' feed from the flowers and assist with the pollination of '' Dracophyllum acerosum'', '' Hoheria lyallii'', and ''

Veronica salicifolia ''Veronica salicifolia'', synonym ''Hebe salicifolia'', the koromiko, or willow-leaf hebe, is a flowering plant in the family Plantaginaceae, which is found throughout the South Island of New Zealand and in Chile. It is a large, evergreen shrub, ...

''. The larvae of ''E. undosata'' have been parasitised by the wasp '' Meteorus pulchricornis.''

Conservation status

This species is regarded as "not threatened".

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q13546763 Moths of New Zealand Endemic fauna of New Zealand Cidariini Moths described in 1875 Endemic moths of New Zealand