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Orthenches semifasciata

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Orthenches semifasciata
Female
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Phylum:
Class:
Order:
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Species:
O. semifasciata
Binomial name
Orthenches semifasciata

Orthenches semifasciata is a moth of the family Plutellidae. It is endemic to New Zealand.

Taxonomy

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This species was first described by Alfred Philpott in 1915. He used a female specimen collected by C. C. Fenwick which was taken in Queenstown in January.[2][3] George Hudson discussed and illustrated this species in his 1928 book The Butterflies and Moths of New Zealand.[4] In this book Hudson synonymised O. similis with O. semifasciata despite Philpott providing distinguishing features for these two species.[4] In 1988 John S. Dugdale disagreed with this synonymising and separately listed the two species.[3] The holotype specimen of O. semifasciata is held at the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa.[3]

Distribution

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This species is endemic to New Zealand.[1] Along with the type locality of Queenstown this species has also been collected near Lake Hakapoua in Fiordland National Park,[2] on Mount Titiroa in Fiordland,[5] at Rastus Burn Basin in The Remarkables at an altitude of 1640m,[6] and around Aoraki/ Mount Cook.[7]

Biology and behaviour

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This species has been recorded as being on the wing in January and February.[2][6]

Habitat and hosts

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The larvae of O. semifasciata feed on Dracophyllum species.[8]

References

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  1. ^ a b 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.
  2. ^ a b c Philpott, Alfred (12 July 1915). "Descriptions of new species of Lepidoptera". Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute. 47: 192–201 – via Biodiversity Heritage Library.
  3. ^ a b c Dugdale, John S. (23 September 1988). "Lepidoptera - annotated catalogue, and keys to family-group taxa" (PDF). Fauna of New Zealand. 14: 1–264. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 July 2019. Retrieved 2 August 2019.
  4. ^ a b Hudson, G. V. (1928). The Butterflies and Moths of New Zealand. Wellington: Ferguson & Osborn Ltd. p. 329.
  5. ^ Hoare, R. J. B.; Millar, I. R.; Richardson, S. J. (2 January 2016). "The insect fauna of granite sand plains: a naturally rare ecosystem in New Zealand". New Zealand Entomologist. 39 (1): 1–14. doi:10.1080/00779962.2015.1108159. ISSN 0077-9962. S2CID 87600286.
  6. ^ a b Patrick, Brian H.; Lyford, Brian M.; Ward, John B.; Barratt, Barbara I.P. (December 1992). "Lepidoptera and other insects of the Rastus Burn Basin, The Remarkables, Otago". Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand. 22 (4): 265–278. doi:10.1080/03036758.1992.10420820. ISSN 0303-6758.
  7. ^ Philpott, Alfred (30 August 1930). "The Lepidoptera of Mount Cook District, with Descriptions of New Species" (PDF). Transactions and Proceedings of the Royal Society of New Zealand. 61: 419–439 – via National Library of New Zealand.
  8. ^ "Orthenches semifasciata Philpott, 1915 Herbivore report". plant-synz.landcareresearch.co.nz. Retrieved 2 August 2019.
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