''Sarisa'' is a

monotypic In biology, a monotypic taxon is a taxonomic group (taxon) that contains only one immediately subordinate taxon. A monotypic species is one that does not include subspecies or smaller, infraspecific taxa. In the case of genera, the term "unisp ...

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 ...

genus in 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 ...

and was first described by David Stephen Fletcher in 1979. The genus contains only one species, ''Sarisa muriferata'', the hook-tip fern looper, which 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 surrounding islands. This species was described by Francis Walker in 1862. It is widespread in the North and South Islands, and has been recorded from Stewart Island, Big South Cape Island, the Chatham Islands and the Auckland Islands.

Taxonomy

The genus Sarisa was first described by Fletcher in 1979. ''Sarisa'' is a replacement name for the genus ''Gargaphia'', Walker 1863 which was preoccupied by ''Gargaphia'', Stål, 1862. The only species in this genus, ''S. muriferata'', was originally described by Francis Walker in 1863 and named ''Gargaphia muriferata''. The female

holotype A holotype (Latin: ''holotypus'') is a single physical example (or illustration) of an organism used when the species (or lower-ranked taxon) was formally described. It is either the single such physical example (or illustration) or one of s ...

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

Full-grown larvae are approximately 30 mm long. Adults have functional mouthparts and are attracted to nectar sources.

Distribution

This species is endemic to New Zealand and its surrounding islands.

Behaviour

The larvae are active in summer and autumn. They hide during the day in leaf litter and are active at night feeding on host plants. If disturbed a larva will fall to the ground and will then attempt to bury itself in the leaf litter. This type of evasive behaviour is also seen in adults of the species. The moth will drop to the ground when disturbed or attacked, with wings held motionless. The species overwinters in the pupal stage. The adult moth can be found on the wing all year round. There are probably two generations per year in the North and South Islands, with adults recorded from September to March. At the southern limit of its range there is probably one generation per year, flying during January and February.

Host species

The larvae have been recorded feeding on '' Microsorum pustulatum'' and ''

Dicksonia fibrosa ''Dicksonia fibrosa'', the golden tree fern, , , or (in Māori) is a species of medium-sized tree fern native to New Zealand. Etymology and taxonomy Colenso in Hooker, ''Sp. Fil.'' 1, 68 (1844) was originally collected by Colenso, but was i ...

''. They have also been observed feeding on the leaves and sori of '' Pyrrosia eleagnifolia''.

References

Lithinini Moths of New Zealand Endemic fauna of New Zealand Taxa named by Francis Walker (entomologist) Moths described in 1863 Monotypic moth genera Endemic moths of New Zealand {{Ennominae-stub