Tingena eumenopa

T. eumenopa was first described by Edward Meyrick in 1926 using specimens collected at Wainuiomata in December and originally named Trachypepla eumenopa.^[3] George Hudson discussed this species under the name Trachypepla eumenopa in his 1928 publication The butterflies and moths of New Zealand.^[4] In 1939 Hudson synonymised Trachypepla metallifera with this species.^[5] In 1988 J. S. Dugdale placed this species within the genus Tingena.^[2] The male lectotype, collected at Wainuiomata, is held at the Natural History Museum, London.^[2]

This species was originally described by Meyrick as follows:

♂ ♀. 12 mm. Head pale ochreous, more or less irrorated fuscous. Palpi pale ochreous sprinkled blackish. Antennal ciliations in male 2. Thorax ferruginous-ochreous irrorated dark fuscous. Abdomen dark grey. Forewings elongate, apex obtuse, termen obliquely rounded; violet-grey irrorated dark fuscous, disc more or less wholly suffused deep ferruginous-brown; some ochreous marking near base; stigmata forming raised tufts, plical beneath first discal, both these irrorated blackish, second discal forming an irregular white dot partially edged blackish irroration, some bright ochreous suffusion beneath this; two rather oblique irregular whitish striae crossing wing between discal stigmata, confluent and yellowish on costa, becoming obsolete towards dorsum; an indistinct yellowish spot on costa at ¾; an irregular whitish spot just before apex, and series of scattered scales before termen: cilia yellow-whitish with two broad shades, first yellow-brownish, second purplish, purplish blotches at apex and on costa towards apex. Hindwings and cilia blackish-grey.^[3]

This species is endemic to New Zealand.^[1] As well as the type locality of Wainuiomata this species has also been observed in Whangārei, Raurimu, Waimarino, Gouland Downs, Nelson, Dunedin, Eglinton Valley and at the Milford Track.^[5]

The adults of this species are on the wing in December.^[4]

This species has been collected amongst tree ferns.^[4]