Nivetica nervosa is a moth of the family Noctuidae. It is only found in New Zealand. This species can be found in wetland habitat in the alpine zone of the South Island. It is a small, distinctively patterned moth that is attracted to light. Currently much of its biology and life cycle is unknown. Adults are on the wing in January and February.
| Nivetica nervosa | |
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| Male | |
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| Species: | N. nervosa
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| Nivetica nervosa | |
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Taxonomy edit
This species was first described by George Vernon Hudson in 1922 from a specimen collected on Bold Peak, Lake Wakatipu by F. S. Oliver on the night of December 1910.[2] Hudson originally named the species Icheutica nervosa.[2] Hudson discussed and illustrated this species under that same name in his 1928 publication The butterflies and moths of New Zealand.[3] In 1988 John S. Dugdale also discussed this species under the name Ichneutica nervosa.[4] However in 2019 Robert J. B. Hoare published a paper in which he undertook a major review of New Zealand noctuids. Hoare, having inspected specimens of this species, placed it within the newly described genus Nivetica.[1] As at 2019, the location of the male holotype is unknown.[1]
Description edit
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Hudson originally described the species as follows:
The expansion of the wings of the male is almost 1 1⁄4 inches. The forewings have the costa almost straight, the apex rather acute and the termen obliquely rounded ; bright ochreous with the veins heavily marked in clear white and with black markings between the veins ; a small black spot at the base ; an elongate blotch between vein 1 and the dorsum ; two elongate marks between veins 1 and 2; wedge shaped marks at the origins of veins 2, 3, 4, and 5; a large blotch between veins 5 and 6 ; a much smaller blotch between veins 6 and 7; two obscure elongate marks in disc immediately below middle of costa and two obscure blackish lines between the costal and subcostal veins ; a curved series of subterminal spots and a series of elongate terminal marks. The hind-wings are greyish-brown. The cilia of all the wings are whitish-ochreous. The head is pale brownish-ochreous. The thorax is densely clothed with brownish-ochreous hair with a brown horseshoe-like mark in the middle. The abdomen is pale ochreous. The antennae, which are heavily bipectinated throughout, are reddish-ochreoiis.[2]
The adult male moth has a wingspan of 28—32mm while the female's wingspan is slightly larger at 35mm.[1]
Geographic range edit
Nivetica nervosa is endemic to New Zealand and the species is widespread in the alpine zone of the South Island.[1]
Habitat edit
Host species edit
The host species of this moth are unknown.[1]
Life history edit
Little is known of the life history of this species of moth however the adults of N. nervosa are on the wing in December and January.[1]
References edit
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Hoare, Robert J. B. (2019-12-09). "Noctuinae (Insecta: Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) part 2: Nivetica, Ichneutica". Fauna of New Zealand. 80: 1–455. doi:10.7931/J2/FNZ.80.
- ^ a b c George Vernon Hudson (1922). "Descriptions of Two New Species of Lepidoptera from New Zealand". Entomologist's Monthly Magazine. 58: 196–197. ISSN 0013-8908. Wikidata Q104416718.
- ^ George Vernon Hudson (1928), The butterflies and moths of New Zealand, Illustrator: George Hudson, Wellington: Ferguson and Osborn Limited, LCCN 88133764, OCLC 25449322, Wikidata Q58593286
- ^ John Stewart Dugdale (23 September 1988). "Lepidoptera - annotated catalogue, and keys to family-group taxa". Fauna of New Zealand. 14. Department of Scientific and Industrial Research: 1–264. doi:10.7931/J2/FNZ.14. ISSN 0111-5383. Wikidata Q45083134.