''Helastia cryptica'' is a

moth Moths are a paraphyletic group of insects that includes all members of the order Lepidoptera that are not butterflies, with moths making up the vast majority of the order. There are thought to be approximately 160,000 species of moth, many of ...

of the family

Geometridae The geometer moths are moths belonging to the family Geometridae of the insect order Lepidoptera, the moths and butterflies. Their scientific name derives from the Ancient Greek ''geo'' γεω (derivative form of or "the earth"), and ''metr ...

. It was first described by Robin C. Craw in 1987. This species is

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found 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 found els ...

New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 List of islands of New Zealand, smaller islands. It is the ...

and is found from mid Canterbury south. This preferred habitat of ''H. cryptica'' is native forest and scrub at altitudes ranging from lowland to subalpine. It has also been observed in human modified habitat. The larvae of this species has been observed on '' Melicytus alpinus'', likely feeding on perched dead leaves and have been hypothesised as feeding on epiphytic mosses. Adults are nocturnal and are on the wing from November until January. Externally this species is indistinguishable from its close relative '' H. cymozeucta.'' However the distribution of these two species can assist in the correct identification of specimens.

Taxonomy

This species was first described by Craw in 1987. The male

holotype A holotype is a single physical example (or illustration) of an organism, known to have been used when the species (or lower-ranked taxon) was formally described. It is either the single such physical example (or illustration) or one of seve ...

, collected by Craw near the River Jordan in

Paradise In religion, paradise is a place of exceptional happiness and delight. Paradisiacal notions are often laden with pastoral imagery, and may be cosmogonical or eschatological or both, often compared to the miseries of human civilization: in paradis ...

, Otago Lakes area, is held in the

New Zealand Arthropod Collection The New Zealand Arthropod Collection is a collection of terrestrial invertebrates held by Maanaki Whenua – Landcare Research in Auckland, New Zealand.http://biocol.org/institutional-collection/new-zealand-arthropod-collection It specialises i ...

Description

Craw described this species as follows: The genitalia of the adults of this species make it easily distinguishable from its close relative '' H. cymozeucta''. However Craw stated the two are impossible to distinguish externally. The distribution of the two species can help inform identification as ''H. cryozeucta'' is found in the North Island and the upper parts of the South Island while ''H. cryptica'' is restricted to Mid Canterbury south.

Distribution

''H. cryptica'' is endemic to New Zealand. It is found only in the South Island in the Mid Canterbury, Mackenzie, Dunedin, Central Otago, Otago Lakes and Fiordland areas.

Habitat and hosts

The preferred habitat of this species is native forest and scrub as well as modified habitat. ''H. cryptica'' can be found at altitudes ranging from lowland to subalpine. The larvae of this species have been found on '' Melicytus alpinus'' likely feeding on perched dead leaves. It has also been hypothesised that the larvae of this species feed on epiphytic mosses.

Behaviour

Adults are nocturnal and are on the wing from November until January.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q13879082 Moths of New Zealand Endemic fauna of New Zealand Moths described in 1987 Cidariini Taxa named by Robin Craw Endemic moths of New Zealand