Lysiphragma Mixochlora on:
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''Lysiphragma mixochlora'' is a
Meyrick described the adults of this species as follows:
Hudson regarded the adult moth's protective resemblance to a moss or lichen covered twig as highly efficient in protecting the insect from predation.
This species inhabits dense native forest. The larvae of this species feed under the bark of dead karaka trees and can be abundant, feeding under a curtain of silk and refuse.
Adults are commonly on the wing from December to February. When resting on tree trunks the adult moth stands on the fore and intermediate legs, the wings form a steep but narrow roof; the antennae are held backwards extending along the middle of each wing; both of the large tufts of raised scales on the dorsum of the forewings are in contact, forming together two large decorative flaps on the mid-back. Adults have been collected via
Image of type specimen of ''Lysiphragma mixochlora''
{{Taxonbar, from=Q13483103 Moths described in 1888 Tineidae Moths of New Zealand Endemic fauna of New Zealand Taxa named by Edward Meyrick Endemic moths of New Zealand
species
A species () is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate sexes or mating types can produce fertile offspring, typically by sexual reproduction. It is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), ...
of 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 ...
in the family Tineidae
Tineidae is a family of moths in the order Lepidoptera described by Pierre André Latreille in 1810. Collectively, they are known as fungus moths or tineid moths. The family contains considerably more than 3,000 species in more than 300 genera. ...
. It 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. This species 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 ...
to 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 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
South is one of the cardinal directions or compass points. The direction is the opposite of north and is perpendicular to both west and east.
Etymology
The word ''south'' comes from Old English ''sūþ'', from earlier Proto-Germanic ''*sunþa ...
Islands. This species inhabits dense native forest. The larvae feed under the bark of dead karaka trees under a curtain of silk and refuse. Adults are commonly on the wing from December until February and are attracted to uv light.
Taxonomy
This species was first described by Edward Meyrick in 1888 using two specimens collected atAuckland
Auckland ( ; ) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. It has an urban population of about It is located in the greater Auckland Region, the area governed by Auckland Council, which includes outlying rural areas and ...
and "Makatoku" (likely a misspelling of Makotuku
Makotuku is a locality in the Manawatū-Whanganui Region of New Zealand's North Island, about west of Ormondville.
The settlement formed around the temporary railway terminus and was often called Makotoko. Makotuku probably refers to the place ...
) in December and March. In 1927 Alfred Philpott discussed and illustrated the male genitalia of this species. George Hudson discussed and illustrated this species under that name in both his 1928 book ''The butterflies and moths of New Zealand'' and in the 1939 supplement to that volume. The lectotype
In biology, a type is a particular specimen (or in some cases a group of specimens) of an organism to which the scientific name of that organism is formally associated. In other words, a type is an example that serves to anchor or centralizes ...
specimen, collected in Auckland, 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: The larva of this species closely resembles its sister species '' L. epixya''.
Meyrick described the adults of this species as follows:
Hudson regarded the adult moth's protective resemblance to a moss or lichen covered twig as highly efficient in protecting the insect from predation.
Distribution
''L. mixochlora'' is endemic to New Zealand. It is found in both the North and South Islands.Habitat and hosts
This species inhabits dense native forest. The larvae of this species feed under the bark of dead karaka trees and can be abundant, feeding under a curtain of silk and refuse.
Behaviour
Adults are commonly on the wing from December to February. When resting on tree trunks the adult moth stands on the fore and intermediate legs, the wings form a steep but narrow roof; the antennae are held backwards extending along the middle of each wing; both of the large tufts of raised scales on the dorsum of the forewings are in contact, forming together two large decorative flaps on the mid-back. Adults have been collected via blacklight
A blacklight, also called a UV-A light, Wood's lamp, or ultraviolet light, is a lamp that emits long-wave ( UV-A) ultraviolet light and very little visible light. One type of lamp has a violet filter material, either on the bulb or in a se ...
traps.
References
External links
Image of type specimen of ''Lysiphragma mixochlora''
{{Taxonbar, from=Q13483103 Moths described in 1888 Tineidae Moths of New Zealand Endemic fauna of New Zealand Taxa named by Edward Meyrick Endemic moths of New Zealand