Mallobathra tonnoiri is a moth of the family Psychidae.[1] It was described by Alfred Philpott in 1927. This species is endemic to New Zealand and has been observed in the South Island. Adults are on the wing in December.
| Mallobathra tonnoiri | |
|---|---|
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| Illustration of male | |
Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Psychidae |
| Genus: | Mallobathra |
| Species: | M. tonnoiri
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| Binomial name | |
| Mallobathra tonnoiri | |
Taxonomy edit
This species was first described by Alfred Philpott in 1927 using a male specimen collected by André Léon Tonnoir at Lake Brunner in December.[2][3] M. tonnoiri was discussed and illustrated by George Hudson in 1939.[4] J. S. Dugdale confirmed the placement of this species in the genus Mallobathra in 1971.[5] The male holotype specimen is held at the Canterbury Museum.[3]
Description edit
Philpott described this species as follows:
♂. 16 mm. Head, thorax and abdomen blackish-fuscous. Antennae blackish-fuscous, ciliations in male 2 ½. Forewings, costa moderately arched, subsinuate, apex rounded, termen oblique; dark brownish-fuscous obscurely strigulated with ochreous; an undefined patch of paler ochreous on dorsum near base; a large spot of whitish-ochreous on dorsum beyond middle; fringes dark purplish-fuscous. Hindwings and fringes dark fuscous with purplish sheen.[2]
This species is similar in appearance to M. strigulata but lacks the large dark dorsal patch on the wings of M.strigulata.[2] It is also similar in appearance to M. fenwicki but is larger and darker.[2]
Distribution edit
This species is endemic to New Zealand.[1] This species has been observed in the West Coast and the Wellington regions and has also been collected at Homer.[4][6]
Behaviour edit
Adults are on the wing in December.[2]
References edit
- ^ a b c Gordon, Dennis P., ed. (2010). New Zealand inventory of biodiversity: Kingdom animalia: chaetognatha, ecdysozoa, ichnofossils. Vol. 2. p. 463. ISBN 978-1-877257-93-3. OCLC 973607714. OL 25288394M. Wikidata Q45922947.
- ^ a b c d e Alfred Philpott (15 August 1927). "Notes and Descriptions of New Zealand Lepidoptera". Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute. 58: 90. ISSN 1176-6158. Wikidata Q107580217.
- ^ a b 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: 69. doi:10.7931/J2/FNZ.14. ISSN 0111-5383. Wikidata Q45083134.
- ^ a b George Vernon Hudson (1939), A supplement to the butterflies and moths of New Zealand, Illustrator: George Hudson, Wellington: Ferguson and Osborn Limited, p. 468, OCLC 9742724, Wikidata Q109420935
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- ^ Dugdale, J. S. (10 November 1971). "Entomology of the Aucklands and other islands south of New Zealand: Lepidoptera, excluding non-crambine Pyralidae" (PDF). Pacific Insects Monographs. 27: 139. ISSN 0078-7515. Wikidata Q64006453.
- ^ W George Howes (September 1946). "Lepidoptera collecting at the Homer, with descriptions of new species". Transactions and Proceedings of the Royal Society of New Zealand. 76: 139–147. ISSN 1176-6166. Wikidata Q62091906.
