Glaucocharis auriscriptella
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Crambidae
Subfamily: Crambinae
Tribe: Diptychophorini
Genus: Glaucocharis
Species:
G. auriscriptella
Binomial name
Glaucocharis auriscriptella
(Walker, 1864)[1]
Synonyms[1]
  • Eromene auriscriptella Walker, 1864
  • Diptychophora auriscriptella (Walker, 1864)
  • Pareromene auriscriptella (Walker, 1864)

Glaucocharis auriscriptella, also known as the yellow silverling, is a moth in the family Crambidae.[2] It was first described by Francis Walker in 1864 and is endemic to New Zealand. This species can be found in the North, South, Stewart and Great Barrier Islands. The preferred habitat of this moth is lowland and subalpine native forest as well as wetlands. The larvae feed on moss. The adult moth is day flying and is on the wing from November to February. It can be observed in colonies and can be attracted to light at night. This species likely has only one generation per year.

Taxonomy

It was first described by Francis Walker in 1864 using the name Eromene auriscriptella.[3] In 1882 Edward Meyrick placed this species in the genus Diptychophora.[4][5] George Hudson discussed and illustrated this species under that name in his 1928 book The butterflies and moths of New Zealand.[6] In 1929 Alfred Philpott studied the male genitalia of this species.[7] In 1971 David Gaskin placed this species in the genus Pareromene.[8] In 1985 Gaskin again discussed this species and placed it in the genus Glaucocharis.[9] The male lectotype, collected in Auckland by D. Bolton, is held at the Natural History Museum, London.[1]

Description

Living specimen.

Hudson described this species as follows:

The expansion of the wings of the male is slightly over 1⁄2 inch; of the female 5⁄8 inch. The fore-wings are pale golden yellow, with leaden metallic markings; there is a conspicuous transverse line at about 4, strongly curved towards the termen in the middle; an elongate spot above the middle of the wing, leaden metallic towards the costa and white towards the dorsum; a doubly curved transverse line beyond 3⁄4 and two long horizontal stripes between the central spot and the termen; the termen is finely edged with bronzy brown; there are three minute black spots just before the tornus. The hind-wings and abdomen are pale grey. The female is slightly darker in general colouring than the male, but the markings are identical in both sexes.[6]

Hudson noted that the transverse lines on some moths may vary in width.[6] Meyrick pointed out that this species is distinguishable from most similar appearing species in its genus by the discal spot on it's forewings.[5] For example the very similar appearing G. holanthes can be distinguished as, unlike G. auriscriptella, the discal spot is represented by two small black dots.[8] The exception is G. chrysochyta which can be distinguished from G. auriscriptella as it is more brightly coloured, and has an indentation on the first transverse line on it's forewings.[5]

Distribution

G. auriscriptella is endemic to New Zealand.[10][11] It has been observed in the North Island, the South Island, on Stewart Island and also on Great Barrier Island.[6][8]

Behaviour

The adult moth is day flying and is on the wing from November to February.[12][13] It has been hypothesised that there is one generation per year.[14] This species has been observed as occurring in colonies at the edges of dense native bush.[14] The adults, although day flying, are attracted to light at night.[14]

Hosts and habitat

The larvae feed on mosses.[15][12] This species inhabits lowland and subalpine native forest and has also been found in wetland habitat.[16][15]

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Glaucocharis auriscriptella.
  1. 1 2 3 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: 144. doi:10.7931/J2/FNZ.14. ISSN 0111-5383. Wikidata Q45083134.
  2. ↑ Gordon, Dennis P., ed. (2010). New Zealand Inventory of Biodiversity. Vol. 2 Kingdom Animalia: Chaetognatha, Ecdysozoa, Ichnofossils. Christchurch, N.Z.: Canterbury University Press. p. 457. ISBN 9781877257933. OCLC 973607714.
  3. ↑ Francis Walker (1864), List of the specimens of lepidopterous insects in the collection of the British Museum. XXX: Tineites, London, p. 976, Wikidata Q108264250{{citation}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  4. ↑ Edward Meyrick (June 1882). "Descriptions of New Zealand Micro-Lepidoptera (I.)". New Zealand Journal of Science. 1: 187. Wikidata Q115108516.
  5. 1 2 3 Edward Meyrick (May 1883). "Descriptions of New Zealand Microlepidoptera. I and II. Crambidae and Tortricina". Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute. 15: 16. ISSN 1176-6158. Wikidata Q111013914.
  6. 1 2 3 4 George Vernon Hudson (1928), The butterflies and moths of New Zealand, Illustrator: George Hudson, Wellington: Ferguson and Osborn Limited, p. 175, LCCN 88133764, OCLC 25449322, Wikidata Q58593286
  7. ↑ Alfred Philpott (1929). "The male genitalia of the New Zealand Crambidae". Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute. 60 (3): 491–514. ISSN 1176-6158. Wikidata Q124044081.
  8. 1 2 3 David Edward Gaskin (1971). "A revision of New Zealand Diptychophorini (Lepidoptera; Pyralidae; Crambinae)". New Zealand Journal of Science. 14: 768–770. ISSN 0028-8365. Wikidata Q110236267.
  9. ↑ David E. Gaskin (20 December 1985). "Morphology and reclassification of the Australasian, Melanesian and Polynesian Glaucocharis Meyrick (Lepidoptera : Crambinae : Diptychophorini)". Australian Journal of Zoology. Supplementary Series. 33 (115): 1. doi:10.1071/AJZS115. ISSN 0310-9089. Wikidata Q54618937.
  10. ↑ "NZOR Name Details - Glaucocharis auriscriptella (Walker, 1864)". www.nzor.org.nz. Landcare Research New Zealand Ltd. Retrieved 19 January 2018.
  11. ↑ "Glaucocharis auriscriptella (Walker, 1864)". biotanz.landcareresearch.co.nz. 30 June 2015. Retrieved 2023-12-29.
  12. 1 2 Andrew Crowe (2017). Which New Zealand insect?. Auckland: Penguin Books. p. 34. ISBN 978-0-14-100636-9. OL 3731007M. Wikidata Q105622564.
  13. ↑ Alan Emmerson; Robert Hoare (28 October 2019). "Lepidoptera from Redvale, Albany, north of Auckland, New Zealand, 2004-2016: an annotated list". The Wētā. 53: 43–70. ISSN 0111-7696. Wikidata Q105342215.
  14. 1 2 3 David Edward Gaskin (1966). "The butterflies and common moths of New Zealand". New Zealand: 162. Wikidata Q115000559.
  15. 1 2 Bowie, Mike; Hutson, Mitch. "Yarr's Flat Wildlife Reserve & Yarr's Lagoon: An assessment of fauna present to guide future restoration and conservation of native species". Lincoln University Wildlife Management Report. 58: Appendiix. hdl:10182/8226.
  16. ↑ Hooson, Scott (4 July 2014). "Christchurch District Plan. Site of Ecological Significance - French Farm Wetland" (PDF). districtplan.ccc.govt.nz/. Retrieved 3 December 2019.
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