Izatha Copiosella

''Izatha copiosella'' is a moth of the family Oecophoridae. It is endemic to New Zealand, where it is found on the south-eastern parts of the North Island and throughout the South Island except the West Coast. Larvae are found in dead wood and are likely to use kōwhai species as hosts. The adults are night fliers and are attracted to light. They are on the wing in January and February.

Taxonomy

This species was first described by Francis Walker in 1864 using specimens obtained from T. R. Oxley at Nelson and named ''Gelechia copiosella''. The type specimen is held at the Natural History Museum, London. Walker failed to recognise that this species fell within his newly described genus ''Izatha''. In 1928 George Hudson misidentified and described the species now named ''Izatha voluptuosa'' as ''I. copiosella''. Hudson did however illustrate ''I. copiosella'' as well as the species now known as ''I. voluptuosa'' in that 1928 publication. This misidentification was rectified by J. S. Dugdale in 1988 and Dugdale's conclusions were supported by Robert J. B. Hoare in 2010. In 1910 Edward Meyrick, thinking he was describing a new species, erected the genus ''Zirosaris'' to include ''Zirosaris amorbas.'' Meyrick went on to describe ''I. copiosella'' again in 1911 and named it ''Trachypepla amorbas''. In 1915 Meyrick synonymised ''Zirosaris'' with ''Trachypepla''. ''Trachypepla amorbas'' was in turn synonymized with ''I. copiosella'' in 2010.

Description

The egg of ''I. copiosella'' is oblong and is coloured a pink tinged white when first laid.

Walker described the adults of the species as follows:

The wingspan of the adult moth is 15–20 mm for males and 19–23 mm for females. ''I. copiosella'' can be distinguished from similar species in the genus by a length of yellow scales only found in the front half of the hind wing.

Distribution

This species is endemic to New Zealand. It is restricted to the south eastern part of the North Island from Hawkes Bay and then all of the South Island to Invercargill. ''I. copiosella'' has been collected in the Hawkes Bay, Wairarapa, Wellington, Marlborough Sounds, Nelson, Buller, Kaikoura, North and Mid Canterbury, Otago Lakes, Central Otago, Dunedin, Southland and Fiordland areas.

Behaviour and life cycle

This species is night flying and appear to be attracted to light. Adults are on wing from January to February. The species is not regarded as being abundant and very few females have been collected.

Habitat and host species

Larvae have been found in dead elm wood (''Ulmus'' species). They probably also feed on dead wood of ''Sophora'' species.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q10766884

Oecophorinae
Taxa named by Francis Walker (entomologist)
Moths of New Zealand
Endemic fauna of New Zealand
Moths described in 1864
Endemic moths of New Zealand