Diasemia grammalis
| Diasemia grammalis | |
|---|---|
| |
| Female | |
| |
| Male | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Crambidae |
| Genus: | Diasemia |
| Species: | D. grammalis
|
| Binomial name | |
| Diasemia grammalis | |
Diasemia grammalis, also known as the Arrowhead, is a moth of the family Crambidae.[1] It is likely endemic to New Zealand and has been observed in both the North and South Islands. The species inhabits open dry herb field areas. Adults are day flying and are on the wing most commonly from October until March. Larvae feed on the ground the roots of native grasses and shrubs including Muehlenbeckia axillaris.
Taxonomy
[edit]This species was first described by Edward Doubleday in the book Travels in New Zealand using a specimen collected by A. Sinclair in Auckland.[2][3] The male holotype specimen is held at the Natural History Museum, London.[3]
Description
[edit]
George Hudson described this species as follows:
The expansion of the wings is from 1⁄2 to 5⁄8 inch. The forewings, which have the termen very oblique, are dull brown; the dorsal and central area is cream-colour to about 2⁄3 there, are three short thick black bars on the dorsum and a straight oblique white: line from the costa at about 3⁄4 not quite reaching the dorsum. The hind-wings are dull-brown with two black-edged whitish bars.[4]
Adults can be variable in the depth of ground colour on their wings as well as the extent of the white markings, which in some specimens can become dominant.[4]
Distribution
[edit]This species is likely endemic to New Zealand and is found both in the North and South Islands.[5][4]
Behaviour
[edit]Adults are fast flying and diurnal.[6][7] They are commonly seen on the wing from October until March.[8] Adults are also attracted to light and have been captured with light traps.[9]
Habitat and hosts
[edit]
This species inhabits open dry herb field areas from the coast up to altitudes of around 1000m.[8][10][7] The larvae feed on the ground amongst leaflitter on the roots of native grasses and herbaceous plants including Muehlenbeckia axillaris.[5][11]
References
[edit]
- ^ a b "Diasemia grammalis Doubleday, 1843". www.nzor.org.nz. Landcare Research New Zealand Ltd. Retrieved 4 February 2017.
- ^ Dieffenbach, E. (1843). "List of Annulose Animals hitherto recorded as found in New Zealand with descriptions of some new species by Messrs. Adam White and Edward Doubleday.". Travels in New Zealand: with contributions to the geography, geology, botany and natural history of the country. Vol. 2. London: John Murray. p. 287.
- ^ 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: 152. doi:10.7931/J2/FNZ.14. ISSN 0111-5383. Wikidata Q45083134.
- ^ a b c George Vernon Hudson (1928), The butterflies and moths of New Zealand, Illustrator: George Hudson, Wellington: Ferguson and Osborn Limited, p. 178, LCCN 88133764, OCLC 25449322, Wikidata Q58593286
- ^ a b Hoare, Robert (2012). "Introduction to Pyraloidea families and subfamilies of New Zealand". www.landcareresearch.co.nz. Landcare Research New Zealand Ltd. Archived from the original on 6 December 2019. Retrieved 4 February 2017.
- ^ B. I. P. Barratt; B. H. Patrick (January 1987). "Insects of snow tussock grassland on the East Otago Plateau". New Zealand Entomologist. 10 (1): 93. doi:10.1080/00779962.1987.9722513. ISSN 0077-9962. Wikidata Q54576207.
- ^ a b Andrew Crowe (2017). Which New Zealand insect?. Auckland: Penguin Books. p. 34. ISBN 978-0-14-100636-9. OL 3731007M. Wikidata Q105622564.
- ^ a b Brian H. Patrick (1991). Insects of the Dansey Ecological District (PDF). Vol. 32. p. 16. ISBN 0-478-01285-3. ISSN 0113-3713. Wikidata Q110318301. Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 December 2021.
{{cite book}}:|journal=ignored (help) - ^ Peter G. McGregor; P. J. Watts; M. J. Esson (January 1987). "Light trap records from southern North Island hill country". New Zealand Entomologist. 10 (1): 118. doi:10.1080/00779962.1987.9722515. ISSN 0077-9962. Wikidata Q57483702.
- ^ "Crown Pastoral Land Tenure Review. Cluden Station. Conservation Resources Report - Part 1" (PDF). www.linz.govt.nz. 2005. Retrieved 7 May 2018.
- ^ "Diasemia grammalis (Doubleday, 1843) PlantSynz". plant-synz.landcareresearch.co.nz. Retrieved 17 August 2024.