Austrocidaria parora | |
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Female | |
Male | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Class: | Insecta |
Order: | Lepidoptera |
Family: | Geometridae |
Genus: | Austrocidaria |
Species: | A. parora
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Binomial name | |
Austrocidaria parora (
Meyrick, 1884)
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Synonyms | |
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Austrocidaria parora is a species of moth of the family Geometridae. It is endemic to New Zealand.
This species was described by Edward Meyrick in 1884 as Harpalyce parora. [1] [2] In 1886 Meyrick recognised that the genus name he had used for this species had been used previously and renamed the genus in which he placed this species as Probolaea. [3] In 1898 George Hudson placed this species within the Asaphodes genus. [4] In 1906 George Howes, discussing the species under the name Asaphodes parora, also illustrated it. [5] In 1928 Hudson discussed and illustrated the species again under the name Asaphodes parora. [6] In 1988 J. S. Dugdale placed this species within the genus Austrocidaria. [7]
The lectotype specimen is held at the Natural History Museum, London. [7]
Hudson described this species in 1898 as follows:
Male, female. — 29-34 mm. (about 1+1⁄4 inches) . Fore-wings moderate, apex acute, termen excavated on upper half, acutely projecting in middle ; varying from light grey to light reddish-fuscous ; about eighteen irregular dentate darker striae, sometimes partially obsolete; first three, seventh and eighth, and eleventh to thirteenth usually more distinct and blackish ; seventh and eighth closely approximated, forming a small blackish or reddish spot on dorsum, sometimes partially suffused with blackish ; eleventh to thirteenth closely approximated, widely remote from eighth, parallel to termen ; a blackish discal dot ; sometimes a broad purplish-grey median band ; sixteenth sometimes spotted with blackish towards costa; a terminal row of blackish dots. Hind-wings moderate, upper angle broadly projecting, termen shortly projecting in middle ; varying from whitish-grey to very pale reddish- fuscous, faintly striated with darker. [4]
It is regarded as being variable in colour. [4]
Austrocidaria parora is endemic to New Zealand. [8] [9] The lectotype specimen was collected at Riccarton Bush in Christchurch. This species has also been collected at Mount Ruapehu, [6] Whanganui, [6] Lake Horowhenua, [6] Wellington, [4] Greymouth, [10] Mount Hutt, [4] Central Otago, [11] [12] and Invercargill. [6]
Adults have been recorded as being on wing in January and February as well as in August and September. [10] [13] The larvae feed on Coprosma species. [12]