Trachypepla semilauta is a moth of the family Oecophoridae and was first described by Alfred Philpott in 1918.[1] It is endemic to New Zealand and has been collected in Southland. This species inhabits southern beech forest on the side of mountains. Adults are on the wing in January.
| Trachypepla semilauta | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Oecophoridae |
| Genus: | Trachypepla |
| Species: | T. semilauta
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| Binomial name | |
| Trachypepla semilauta | |
Taxonomy
editThis species was first described by Alfred Philpott in 1918 using three specimens collected in the Hunter Mountains in January.[2] The male genitalia of this species was studied and illustrated by Alfred Philpott in 1927.[3] George Hudson discussed and illustrated this species in his 1928 book The butterflies and moths of New Zealand.[4] The female holotype is held in the New Zealand Arthropod Collection.[5]
Description
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Philpott described this species as follows:
♂ ♀. 15-16 mm. Head ochreous-white. Palpi ochreous-white infuscated at base beneath and with a fuscous band before apex. Antennae fuscous, obscurely annulated with ochreous, ciliations in ♂ 2+1⁄2. Thorax fuscous mixed with ochreous. Abdomen fuscous-grey. Legs whitish-grey with some infuscation. Forewings rather broad, costa moderately arched, apex subacute, termen almost straight, strongly oblique ; white, faintly tinged with yellowish; base narrowly fuscous-black, extending on costa to 1⁄5; an outwardly -angulated fuscous-black fascia from dorsum at middle, not reaching costa, broadest on dorsum where it is sometimes bright ochreous ; a triangular black fascia from costa at 1⁄2, its apex, which encloses a white spot, reaching centre of wing, thence continued as a line to tornus ; a small black mark preceding this below middle ; a curved black fascia from costa at 3⁄4 round termen to tornus, anteriorly margined with white, the space between this and the median fascia being filled with bright ochreous ; a black apical blotch ; in some specimens the space between the costal fasciae is suffusedly filled with dark fuscous, the ochreous and white colouring being almost obsolete : cilia whitish-ochreous more or less sprinkled with fuscous ; apex fuscous. Hindwings dark greyish-fuscous : cilia grey-fuscous with darker basal line.[2]
This species can be distinguished from its close relative T. ingenua as it has a white patch on the basal portion of its forewings.[2]
Distribution
editThis species is endemic to New Zealand.[6] Philpott collected specimens at Cleughearn Peak in the Hunter Mountains at an altitude of approximately 825m.[4]
Habitat
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This species inhabits southern beech forests on the side of mountains.[4]
Behaviour
editAdults are on the wing in January.[4]
References
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- ^ a b Gordon, Dennis P., ed. (2010). New Zealand inventory of biodiversity: Kingdom animalia: chaetognatha, ecdysozoa, ichnofossils. Vol. 2. p. 462. ISBN 978-1-877257-93-3. OCLC 973607714. OL 25288394M. Wikidata Q45922947.
- ^ a b c Alfred Philpott (1918). "Descriptions of new species of Lepidoptera". Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute (in English and English). 50: 129. ISSN 1176-6158. Wikidata Q109591818.
- ^ Alfred Philpott (15 August 1927). "The male genitalia of the New Zealand Oecophoridae". Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute. 53: 102–113. ISSN 1176-6158. Wikidata Q63131107.
- ^ a b c d George Vernon Hudson (1928), The butterflies and moths of New Zealand, Illustrator: George Hudson, Wellington: Ferguson and Osborn Limited, p. 283, 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: 107. doi:10.7931/J2/FNZ.14. ISSN 0111-5383. Wikidata Q45083134.
- ^ "Trachypepla semilauta Philpott, 1918". biotanz.landcareresearch.co.nz. Retrieved 2022-07-29.