Tingena penthalea
Species of moth, endemic to New Zealand
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Tingena penthalea is a species of moth in the family Oecophoridae.[2] It is endemic to New Zealand and has been observed in Wellington and the Tararua Range. The adults of this species are on the wing from December until February.
| Tingena penthalea | |
|---|---|
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| Male lectotype | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Oecophoridae |
| Genus: | Tingena |
| Species: | T. penthalea |
| Binomial name | |
| Tingena penthalea | |
| Synonyms[2] | |
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Taxonomy
This species was first described by Edward Meyrick in 1905 using three specimens collected in Wellington.[3] Meyrick originally named the species Borkhausenia penthalea.[3] In 1915 Meyrick discussed this species under the same name.[4] In 1926 Alfred Philpott discussed and illustrated the genitalia of the male of this species.[5] In 1928 George Hudson also discussed and illustrated this species in his book The butterflies and moths of New Zealand.[6] In 1988 J. S. Dugdale placed this species within the genus Tingena.[2] The male lectotype is held at the Natural History Museum, London.[2]
Description
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Meyrick described this species as follows:
♂ ♀. 15-17 mm. Head pale brownish-ochreous, whitish-sprinkled. Palpi ochreous-whitish, second joint with basal half dark fuscous and a subapical ring of dark fuscous irroration, terminal joint with subbasal and subapical rings of dark fuscous irroration. Antennae grey, ciliations of ♂ 1. Thorax pale brownish-ochreous sprinkled with fuscous, anteriorly suffused with dark fuscous. Abdomen light grey. Fore-wings elongate, costa moderately arched, apex obtuse, termen very obliquely rounded; whitish-ochreous, irrorated with light brownish, with some dark fuscous scales towards margins, sometimes forming distinct patches of dark suffusion on costa at base, 1⁄4, and middle; an oblique dark fuscous mark above dorsum before middle; discal stigmata crescentic, dark fuscous, hollow beneath, often ill-defined; a moderately broad subterminal fuscous or brown fascia, irrorated with dark fuscous, narrowed towards costa and on tornus : cilia whitish-ochreous irrorated with fuscous, at tornus with a darker bar above a pale spot. Hind-wings light grey, darker towards apex; cilia grey-whitish, with grey basal shade.[3]
This species variable in appearance with the brown patch of the forewings sometimes dividing into two distinct spots.[6] The ground colour of this species also varies with some specimens being whiter than others.[6] Also the discal spots may be more orange-brown coloured in some specimens.[6]
Distribution
This species is endemic to New Zealand and has been observed in Wellington, including on Kapiti Island, and in the Tararua Range.[1][6][7] It was regarded by Hudson as a rare species.[6]
Behaviour
The adults of this species are on the wing from December until February.[6]
