Orthoclydon praefectata
Female specimen
Male specimen
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Arthropoda
Class:
Insecta
Order:
Lepidoptera
Family:
Geometridae
Genus:
Orthoclydon
Species:
O. praefectata
Binomial name
Orthoclydon praefectata
(Walker, 1861)[1]
Synonyms
  • Acidalia praefectata Walker, 1861
  • Acidalia praefactata (Walker, 1861)
  • Xanthorhoe praefectata (Walker, 1861)
  • Acidalia subtentaria Walker, 1863

Orthoclydon praefectata, the flax looper moth or flax window maker, is a moth of the family Geometridae. It is endemic to New Zealand.

Description

The wing span of this species is 38–45 mm. The male moth is a pale brown and the female a glossy white.[2]

Taxonomy

O. praefectata was first described by Francis Walker under the name Acidalia praefectata.[3][4] George Hudson discussed and illustrated this species in 1898 under the name Xanthorhoe praefectata.[5]

Distribution and habitat

This moth is endemic to and is widely distributed throughout New Zealand.[6][2]

The habitat/food plant for this moth is the New Zealand native flax Phormium tenax.[2]

Life cycle

Eggs

Eggs are straw coloured and are laid on the underside of the flax leaf.[2]

Larva

The caterpillar is a brown/green colour . It has three dark red lines on its back and a yellow line on each flank. When fully grown it is approximately 2.5 cm long.[2]

Adult

Adult moths are seen in all the summer months.[2]

See also

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Orthoclydon praefectata.
Wikispecies has information related to Orthoclydon praefectata.
  1. ↑ "Orthoclydon praefectata (Walker, 1861)". www.nzor.org.nz. Landcare Research New Zealand Ltd. Retrieved 27 January 2017.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Gaskin, D E (1966). The Butterflies and Common Moths of New Zealand. Christchurch: Whitcombe and Tombs Limited. p. 133.
  3. ↑ Francis, Walker (1861). List of the specimens of lepidopterous insects in the collection of the British Museum. Vol. 23. London: British Museum. p. 781. doi:10.5962/bhl.title.58221 – via Biodiversity Heritage Library.
  4. ↑ Dugdale, J. S. (1988). "Lepidoptera - annotated catalogue, and keys to family-group taxa" (PDF). Fauna of New Zealand. 14: 185. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 July 2019. Retrieved 15 May 2018.
  5. ↑ Hudson, G. V (1898). New Zealand moths and butterflies. London: West, Newman & Co. pp. 60–61. doi:10.5962/bhl.title.7912. Retrieved 14 May 2018.
  6. ↑ Gordon, Dennis P., ed. (2010). New Zealand inventory of biodiversity: Kingdom animalia : chaetognatha, ecdysozoa, ichnofossils. Vol. 2. p. 460. ISBN 978-1-877257-93-3. OCLC 973607714. OL 25288394M. Wikidata Q45922947.
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