Ericodesma cuneata

This species was first described by Charles E. Clarke in 1926 using a specimen collected by him at Hope Arm, Lake Manapouri and named Tortrix cuneata.^[2][3] In 1971 John S. Dugdale assigned Tortrix cuneata to the genus Ericodesma.^[4] The holotype specimen is held at the Auckland War Memorial Museum.^[2]

Clarke described the species as follows:

♂. 13 mm. Head and thorax light grey; palpi moderate. Antennae grey, antennal ciliations 1⁄2. Abdomen pale ochreous-grey. Forewings elongate, costa moderately arched, apex bluntly pointed, termen slightly rounded, oblique; pale grey with a number of small obscure dots with tendency to form rows; a transverse blunt wedge-shaped red bar at 1⁄2 of dorsum, reaching half-way across wing. Hindwings pale ochreous-grey: cilia pale grey.^[3]

This species is endemic to New Zealand.^[1][5] E. cuneata can be found at Taupō, Otago Lakes and Fiordland.^[6] The species, although rare, can be found frequently at The Wilderness in Southland.^[7]

The larvae of this species web leaves together on the foliated stems of its host plant.^[8]

The larvae of E. cuneata feed on Corokia cotoneaster, (korokio).^[6] However the moth has not been associated with urban plantings of its host.^[6] The adult moth has been collected in beech forest habitat,^[3] as well as at strongly leached terraces and plains commonly called "wilderness".^[7]

This species has been classified as having the "At Risk, Naturally Uncommon" conservation status under the New Zealand Threat Classification System.^[9]