Ischalis gallaria
Female
Male
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Geometridae
Genus: Ischalis
Species:
I. gallaria
Binomial name
Ischalis gallaria
(Walker, 1860)[1]
Synonyms[2]
  • Selenia gallaria Walker, 1860
  • Ischalis thermochromata Walker, 1863
  • Euchlaena? palthidiata Felder & Rogenhofer, 1875
  • Euchlaena? palthidiata var. cinerea Felder & Rogenhofer, 1875

Ischalis gallaria, the striped fern looper, is a species of moth in the family Geometridae.[3] It was first described by Francis Walker in 1860. This species is endemic to New Zealand.

Taxonomy

This species was originally described in 1860 by Francis Walker and named Selenia gallaria.[2] In 1970 Robert W. Poole placed this species in the genus Ischalis.[4]

Description

The larva of this species is brown and furry and when mature is approximately 25 mm long.[5]

Distribution

I. gallaria is endemic to New Zealand.[1]

Behaviour

When young, the larvae can be found along the edges of the leaves of their host and when mature tend to be found on the midribs of fern fronds. Adult moths are on the wing from December until March.[5] The moth will drop to the ground when disturbed or attacked, with wings held motionless.[5] The shape and colouring of the wings contribute to a most effective dead leaf crypsis.

Hosts

The larval host of this species is the gully fern.[5]

References

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Wikispecies has information related to Ischalis gallaria.
  1. 1 2 "Ischalis gallaria (Walker, 1860)". www.nzor.org.nz. Retrieved 2022-04-27.
  2. 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: 166. doi:10.7931/J2/FNZ.14. ISSN 0111-5383. Wikidata Q45083134.
  3. ↑ Gordon, Dennis P., ed. (2010). New Zealand inventory of biodiversity: Kingdom animalia : chaetognatha, ecdysozoa, ichnofossils. Vol. 2. p. 459. ISBN 978-1-877257-93-3. OCLC 973607714. OL 25288394M. Wikidata Q45922947.
  4. ↑ Robert W. Poole (1970). "Transfer of four New Zealand geometrids from the genus Azelina (Lepidoptera: Geometridae)". Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington. 72 (1): 135. ISSN 0013-8797. Wikidata Q123614994.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Andrew Crowe (2004). Life-Size Guide to New Zealand Native Ferns: Featuring the unique caterpillars which feed on them. p. 11. ISBN 0-14-301924-4. Wikidata Q115211440.


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