Xanthorhoe orophyla

This species was first described by Edward Meyrick in 1883 under the name Epyaxa orophylla in a published abstract.^[2] Meyrick gave a fuller description of the species in 1884 under the name Epyaxa orophyla.^[3] In 1898 George Hudson discussed the species under the name orophyla when placing it within the genus Xanthorhoe.^[4] Meyrick again discussed the species in 1917 under the name orophyla when agreeing with its placement in the genus Xanthorhoe.^[5] In 1928 Hudson, in his seminal work The butterflies and moths of New Zealand, discussed and illustrated this species again spelling the specific epithet orophyla.^[6] In 1988 J. S. Dugdale discussed this species under the epithet orophylla.^[7] However, in 2010 the New Zealand Inventory of Biodiversity referred to the species by the epithet orophyla and this spelling has also been followed by the New Zealand Organisms Register.^[8][1] The male lectotype, collected at Lake Wakatipu, is held at the Natural History Museum, London.^[7]

In 1898 George Hudson described the species as follows:

The expansion of the wings of the male is 1+1⁄4 inches, of the female 1+3⁄8 inches. The fore-wings of the male are pale brownish-grey; there is an obscure bent blackish line near the base, a moderately broad central band bounded by two very distinct shaded blackish lines, the basal one of which is not curved; the termen is shaded with darker grey, and there is an oblique pale mark near the apex. The hind-wings are pale grey tinged with ochreous. The female is slightly darker than the male; and there are numerous wavy pale and dark grey lines filling up the entire wing on each side of the central band.^[4]

X. orophyla can be found in the high country of the South Island and has been collected in Nelson, Canterbury, and Otago.^[9][4] They prefer open areas in lowland to alpine habitat.^[4][10]

This species has one brood a year.^[9] Adults are on the wing from December to February.^[9] The moths are attracted to light.^[9] This species is said to be common on Aoraki / Mount Cook's lower slopes.^[9]

Larvae of this species feed on cruciferous plants.^[10]