Asaphodes nephelias
| Asaphodes nephelias | |
|---|---|
| |
| Male | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Geometridae |
| Genus: | Asaphodes |
| Species: | A. nephelias
|
| Binomial name | |
| Asaphodes nephelias | |
| Synonyms[2] | |
| |
Asaphodes nephelias is a
Taxonomy
This species was first described in 1883 by Edward Meyrick using specimens collected at Arthur's Pass at 4600 ft in January and named Larentia nephelias.
Description
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Meyrick first described this species as follows:
Pale whitish-grey, slightly ochreous ; a discal dot, sinuate line beyond middle, and two rows of cloudy spots before hind margin dark fuscous.[3]
Meyrick gave a fuller description in 1884 and stated:
Male, female. — 32-34 mm. Forewings moderate, in female narrower and more elongate, hindmargin rounded; pale whitish-grey, slightly ochreous-tinged ; an indistinct suffusion of dark fuscous scales before middle ; a small dark fuscous discal dot ; a rather irregular cloudy dark fuscous line beyond middle, sinuate beneath costa, shortly angulated in middle ; a very faint stria beyond this ; a hindmarginal band composed of two rows of cloudy partially confluent dark fuscous spots, separating on costa : cilia pale whitish-grey. Hindwings moderate, in female narrower, hindmargin rounded ; ground-colour as in forewings, with a few grey scales posteriorly.[4]
The female of this species is brachypterous.[7]
Distribution
This species is endemic to New Zealand and has been collected in Arthur's Pass and Mount Arthur.[1][5] This species has also been collected in Central Otago including on Ben Lomond, Nevis Valley as well as at Danseys Pass.[8][9]
Behaviour
The adults of this species are on the wing from January to March and are day flying.[6][9]
Habitat
This species is found in alpine tussock grasslands above native forest.[6] It has also been observed in wetlands in Otago at the Danseys Pass as well as the Nevis Red Tussock Fen.[8][10]
References
- ^ a b "Asaphodes nephelias (Meyrick, 1883)". www.nzor.org.nz. Retrieved 2022-01-22.
- ^ Wikidata Q45083134.
- ^ a b Meyrick, Edward (1883). "Monograph of New Zealand Geometrina". New Zealand Journal of Science. 1: 526–531 – via Biodiversity Heritage Library.
- ^ Wikidata Q109615359.
- ^ )
- ^ Wikidata Q58593286
- ^ Wikidata Q64006453.
- ^ Wikidata Q109420935
- ^ Wikidata Q110318301. Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 December 2021.)
{{cite book}}:|journal=ignored (help - ^ "Nevis Red Tussock Fen". www.orc.govt.nz. Retrieved 2022-01-22.