Ichneutica subcyprea
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Superfamily: Noctuoidea
Family: Noctuidae
Genus: Ichneutica
Species:
I. subcyprea
Binomial name
Ichneutica subcyprea
Hoare, 2019

Ichneutica subcyprea is a moth of the family Noctuidae.[1] This species is endemic to New Zealand. This species is very similar in appearance to I. chlorodonta. It feeds on fern species in the genus Tmesipteris. It is the only New Zealand noctuid known to exclusively feed on ferns. The preferred habitat of this species is humid native forest and the adults are on the wing from September to December.

Taxonomy

This species was first described by Robert Hoare in 2019.[2] The holotype specimen was collected as a larva by Hoare on Farley Track in the Waitākere Ranges.[2] He found it on a dead frond base of a tree fern in the genus Tmesipteris and reared it to adulthood on Tmesipteris.[2] The holotype specimen is held at the New Zealand Arthropod Collection.[2]

Description

The larvae of this species are bright green in appearance.[2]

Adult I. subcyprea is very similar in appearance to I. chlorodonta.[2] However I. chlorodonta differs from I. subcyprea as the male of that species has slightly longer pectinations, it has a distinctive lilac-grey to lead grey colour to the antemedian and postmedian lines, green scaling between antemedian and postmedian lines, much darker brown hindwings, and has a paler underside of the hindwings.[2]

The adult male wingspan is between 32 and 34 mm whereas the female wingspan is between 30 and 32 mm.[2]

Distribution

This species is endemic to New Zealand.[3] I. subcyprea is found in the North Island in Northland, Auckland, the Coromandel, near Ohakune, on Mount Taranaki and Mount Messenger.[2] This species has also been found in the South Island in Southland in the Opouri Valley.[2]

Habitat

This species exists where its host-plant lives, that is, in humid native forest.[2]

Behaviour

Larvae have been found feeding during the day upon the leaves of its host.[2] The adults of this species are on the wing from September to December, although there is one record each from January and July.[2]

Life history and host species

I. subcyprea is the only New Zealand noctuid known to feed exclusively on ferns.[2] They pupate in the dead fronds of their hosts.[2]

References

  1. ↑ "Ichneutica subcyprea Hoare, 2019". www.nzor.org.nz. Retrieved 2021-07-26.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Hoare, Robert J. B. (9 December 2019). "Noctuinae (Insecta: Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) part 2: Nivetica, Ichneutica". Fauna of New Zealand. 80: 1–455. doi:10.7931/J2/FNZ.80.
  3. ↑ "Ichneutica subcyprea Hoare, 2019". nztcs.org.nz. 2021. Retrieved 2021-07-26.
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