Tingena aphrontis

This species was described by Edward Meyrick in 1883 using specimens collected at Arthur's Pass at 5000 ft in January and named Cremnogenes aphrontis.^[3] Meyrick gave a more detailed description under this name in 1884.^[4] In 1915 Meyrick placed this species within the Borkhausenia genus.^[5] George Hudson illustrated and discussed this species under the name B. aphrontis in his 1928 publication The butterflies and moths of New Zealand.^[6] In 1988 J. S. Dugdale placed this species in the genus Tingena.^[2] The male lectotype, collected at Arthur's Pass, is held at the Natural History Museum, London.^[2]

Meyrick first described this species as follows:

Fore wings ochreous-yellow, partially suffused with grey, with a black discal dot; hind wings dark grey, paler towards base.^[3]

In 1884 Meyrick went into more detail, describing this species as follows:

Male, female. — 12-14+1⁄2 mm. Head and palpi ochreous-yellow, anterior edge of palpi suffusedly dark fuscous. Antennae blackish. Thorax dark fuscous, with yellowish lateral and posterior spots. Abdomen dark grey, posteriorly becoming whitish-ochreous. Legs dark grey, apex of joints obscurely ochreous-whitish, posterior tibiae with very dense ochreous-whitish hairs. Forewings moderate, costa moderately arched, apex round-pointed, hindmargin very obliquely rounded; grey, more or less wholly suffused irregularly with ochreous yellow; a blackish dot in disc beyond middle : cilia pale ochreous-yellow, somewhat mixed with grey. Hindwings grey, darker towards apex : cilia ochreous-whitish, suffused with dark grey towards base.^[4]

This species is variable as the grey coloured patches are sometimes absent in some specimens.^[6]

It is endemic to New Zealand and has been collected at Mount Arthur and at Arthur's pass at altitudes of between 3000 – 5000 ft.^[1][6]

This species is on the wing in January.^[6]

This species lives in open alpine habitat amongst alpine vegetation such as grass and herbs.^[4][6]