''Eurythecta robusta'' is a species of moth in the family Tortricidae. This species is endemic to New Zealand. It is classified as "At Risk, Naturally Uncommon" by the

Department of Conservation An environmental ministry is a national or subnational government agency politically responsible for the environment and/or natural resources. Various other names are commonly used to identify such agencies, such as Ministry of the Environment ...

Taxonomy

This species was first described by Arthur Gardiner Butler in 1877 and named ''Zelotherses robusta''. Butler used specimens from James Hector that were collected on the Canterbury Plains. Later in the same publication, thinking he was describing a separate species, Butler also named this moth ''Steganoptycha negligens''. In 1883 Edward Meyrick placed the species within the genus ''Eurythecta'' and synonymised both names given to the species by Butler. George Hudson discussed and illustrated this species in his 1928 publication ''The Moths and Butterflies of New Zealand''. The lectotype specimen is held at the Natural History Museum, London.

Description

Butler described the species as follows: Meyrick noted that the species is extremely variable in colour.

Distribution

''E. robusta'' is endemic to New Zealand. The species has been found in North, Mid and South Canterbury. The type locality of this species is likely Yaldhurst/West Melton in Christchurch and this area is now largely modified by the development of lifestyle blocks. The species has occurred at

Kaitorete Spit Kaitorete Spit is a long finger of land which extends along the coast of Canterbury in the South Island of New Zealand. It runs west from Banks Peninsula for 25 kilometres, and separates the shallow Lake Ellesmere / Te Waihora from the Pacific O ...

, Gore Bay,

Porters Pass Porters Pass (elevation 939 metres) is a mountain pass in the Canterbury region of New Zealand's South Island. It is near Lake Lyndon and is located within Korowai/Torlesse Tussocklands Park. State Highway 73 travels through the pass on its ...

, McLeans Island, and has surviving populations at Ashburton, and at the mouths of the Rangitata and Hinds rivers. Hudson stated that the species had been collected at

Alexandra Alexandra () is the feminine form of the given name Alexander (, ). Etymologically, the name is a compound of the Greek verb (; meaning 'to defend') and (; GEN , ; meaning 'man'). Thus it may be roughly translated as "defender of man" or "prot ...

and Ben Lomond but there is some doubt as to whether this is the case.

Biology and behaviour

The females of ''E. robust'' are flightless. Adult males are on the wing from September until January.

Host plants and habitat

The larvae feed on low mat-forming herbs and turf plants. The favoured habitat of the species consists of open stony grounds or coastal grassland habitat.

Conservation status

This species has been classified as having the "At Risk, Naturally Uncommon" conservation status under the

New Zealand Threat Classification System The New Zealand Threat Classification System is used by the Department of Conservation to assess conservation priorities of species in New Zealand. The system was developed because the IUCN Red List, a similar conservation status system, had some ...

. The main threat to this species is the destruction of its original habitat both by urban development and by farming practises.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q13627426 Moths described in 1877 Archipini Moths of New Zealand Endemic fauna of New Zealand Endangered biota of New Zealand Taxa named by Arthur Gardiner Butler Endemic moths of New Zealand