New Zealand looper
Female
Male
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Geometridae
Genus: Epyaxa
Species:
E. rosearia
Binomial name
Epyaxa rosearia
(Doubleday, 1843)
Synonyms[1]
  • Cidaria rosearia Doubleday, 1843
  • Larentia subductata Walker, 1862
  • Coremia ardularia Guenèe, 1868
  • Coremia inamaenaria Guenèe, 1868
  • Xanthorhoe homalocyma Meyrick, 1902
  • Xanthorhoe subductata (Walker, 1862)
  • Xanthorhoe rosearia (Doubleday, 1843)

Epyaxa rosearia, the New Zealand looper or plantain moth,[2][3] is a moth of the family Geometridae.[1] It is endemic to New Zealand.

Taxonomy

E. rosearia was first described by Edward Doubleday in 1843 and named Cidaria rosearia.[4][5]

Description

The eggs of this species are pale yellow and oval with a smooth shell.[6]

Alex Purdie describes the caterpillar of this species as:

Length, at rest, about three- quarters of an inch. Colour light-green, with indistinct whitish longitudinal lines, and a narrow median dorsal stripe of the ground colour, edged on each side by one of these whitish lines; a subdorsal whitish line on each side of the median stripe; the ground colour shows again as a lateral line, edged below with whitish. Under-side with delicate whitish or yellowish longitudinal tracings, as on the upper side. The junctions of the segments show yellowish or whitish rings when the larva contracts. Head, greenish-yellow. Body tapering somewhat to the head.[6]

The caterpillars form a chrysalis that is glossy and very dark brownish black.[6] They can be found amongst the leaves of the forest floor.[7] E. rosearia adults are varied in appearance. They can have a pinkish tinge or can be brownish in hue although olive green is also common.[7]

Distribution

E. rosearia are very common throughout New Zealand.[7]

Host species

While it is endemic to New Zealand,[8] the larvae have so far only been recorded feeding on exotic plant species: Nasturtium officinale, Plantago lanceolata, Trifolium ambiguum, Trifolium repens and Tropaeolum majus.[9] The larvae also seem to feed on the leaves of Trifolium caucasicum.

Interaction with humans

A recent study suggests this moth may be assisting with the pollination of avocado trees.[10]

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Epyaxa rosearia.
  1. 1 2 John Stewart Dugdale (23 September 1988). "Lepidoptera - annotated catalogue, and keys to family-group taxa". Fauna of New Zealand. Department of Scientific and Industrial Research. 14: 180. doi:10.7931/J2/FNZ.14. ISSN 0111-5383. Wikidata Q45083134.
  2. ↑ Edlin, Bob (20 April 2014). "North Island farmers report bumper summer for native plantain moth". AgScience. New Zealand Institute of Agricultural and Horticultural Science. Retrieved 14 May 2019.
  3. ↑ "Plantain moth". AgPest. AgResearch. Retrieved 14 May 2019.
  4. ↑ "Cidaria rosearia Doubleday, 1843". New Zealand Organisms Register. Landcare Research New Zealand Ltd. Retrieved 15 January 2018.
  5. ↑ Dieffenbach, E. (1843). "List of Annulose Animals hitherto recorded as found in New Zealand with descriptions of some new species by Messrs. Adam White and Edward Doubleday". Travels in New Zealand: With Contributions to the Geography, Geology, Botany and Natural History of the Country. Vol. 2. London: John Murray. p. 285.
  6. 1 2 3 Purdie, A. (1885). "Life History of Epyaxa rosearia, Dbld". Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute. 18: 208–209 – via Biodiversity Heritage Library.
  7. 1 2 3 Hoare, Robert J. B. (2014). A Photographic Guide to Moths & Butterflies of New Zealand. Ball, Olivier. Auckland: New Holland Publishers (NZ) Ltd. p. 95. ISBN 9781869663995. OCLC 891672034.
  8. ↑ "Epyaxa rosearia (Doubleday, 1843)". New Zealand Organisms Register. Landcare Research New Zealand Ltd. Retrieved 14 January 2018.
  9. ↑ "PlantSynz - Invertebrate herbivore biodiversity assessment tool: Database". Plant-SyNZ. Landcare Research New Zealand Ltd. 2011. Retrieved 14 January 2018.
  10. ↑ Max N. Buxton; Robert J. B. Hoare; Melissa A. Broussard; Theo Van Noort; Grant R. T. Fale; Tamatea Nathan; David E. Pattemore (25 August 2021), Moths as potential pollinators in avocado (Persea americana) orchards in temperate regions, pp. 1–12, doi:10.1080/01140671.2021.1966480, Wikidata Q108352633


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