Epichorista siriana
| Epichorista siriana | |
|---|---|
| |
Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Tortricidae |
| Genus: | Epichorista |
| Species: | E. siriana
|
| Binomial name | |
| Epichorista siriana (Meyrick, 1881)
| |
| Synonyms[1] | |
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Epichorista siriana is a species of moth of the family Tortricidae.[2] This species was first described by Edward Meyrick in 1881. It is endemic to New Zealand and is found in the North and South Islands. This species inhabits long grass near native forest or in cultivated spaces. Adults are commonly on the wing in December and January and are day flying. They are active in hot sunshine and fly amongst the tops of the grass but are difficult to see.
Taxonomy
[edit]This species was first described by Edward Meyrick in 1881 using specimens collected in January in native forest near Hamilton and named Tortrix siriana.[3][4] In 1883 Meyrick redescribed the species and placed it in the genus Proselena.[4] In 1911 Meyrick placed this species in the genus Epichorista.[5] In 1928 George Hudson discussed and illustrated E. siriana in his book The butterflies and moths of New Zealand.[6] This species is regarded as being taxonomically unresolved as it likely belongs to another genus.[7] It is therefore also known as Epichorista (s.l.) siriana.[2] The male lectotype specimen is held at the Natural History Museum, London.[1]
Both Hudson and John S. Dugdale hypothesised that E. siriana and Eurythecta eremana are possibly forms of the same species.[6][1]
Description
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Meyrick originally described this species as follows:
♂. 4+3⁄4"-5+1⁄2". Head, palpi, and thorax deep brownish-ochreous. Antennae ochreous, annulated with dark fuscous. Abdomen blackish-fuscous. Legs pale greyish-ochreous, anterior and middle tibiae and all tarsi suifusedly banded with dark fuscous. Forewings narrow, costa gently arched, hindmargin very obliquely rounded ; deep brownish-ochreous, generally mixed with dark fuscous posteriorly, sometimes throughout ; usually a distinct blackish dot on disc beyond middle : cilia brownish-ochreous, at anal angle mixed with dark fuscous. Hindwings blackish ; cilia blackish, extremities ochreous round apex.
♀. 6+1⁄2". Head, et ccetera, as in male. Abdomen whitish-ochreous. Forewings rather more elongate, apex more acute, hindmargin very oblique ; unicolorous reddish-ochreous ; cilia ochreous, reddish-tinged towards apex, extremities whitish towards anal angle. Hindwings whitish, apex faintly greyish ; cilia whitish.[3]
Meyrick stated in that original description that this species is distinctive and is characterised by its small size and uniform deep brownish-ochreous or reddish-ochreous forewings.[3] The hindwings are blackish in the male and whiteish in the female.[3] However when discussing the species Merophyas leucaniana, then known as Tortrix leucaniana, Meyrick stated that the specimen originally described as the female of E. siriana is a variety of M. leucaniana, and that the true female of E. siriana resembles the male.[8]
Hudson described the species as follows:
The expansion of the wings is 1⁄2 inch. The fore-wings are rather narrow with the apex acute and the termen very rounded and oblique; dark ochreous, slightly speckled with blackish-grey; there is a blackish discal dot; the cilia are brownish-ochreous, paler towards the tornus. The hind-wings are blackish-grey, darker towards the termen.[6]
Distribution
[edit]This species is endemic to New Zealand.[7] It has been observed in the North Island, including around Hamilton, the Manawatū-Whanganui region and in Wellington, and in the South Island.[6][9][10]
Habitat
[edit]This species inhabits long grass either on the edges of native forest or in cultivated spaces.[3][6]
Behaviour
[edit]Adults of this is commonly on the wing in December and January.[11][6] It is a day flying moth and are active in hot sunshine amongst long grass.[3][6] Meyrick stated they fly amongst the tops of the grass but are difficult to see.[3]
References
[edit]
- ^ a b c Dugdale , J. S. (23 September 1988). "Lepidoptera - annotated catalogue, and keys to family-group taxa". Fauna of New Zealand. 14. Department of Scientific and Industrial Research: 123. doi:10.7931/J2/FNZ.14. ISSN 0111-5383. Wikidata Q45083134.
- ^ a b Gordon, Dennis P., ed. (2010). New Zealand inventory of biodiversity: Kingdom animalia: chaetognatha, ecdysozoa, ichnofossils. Vol. 2. p. 464. ISBN 978-1-877257-93-3. OCLC 973607714. OL 25288394M. Wikidata Q45922947.
- ^ a b c d e f g Edward Meyrick (1881). "Descriptions of Australian Microlepidoptera. V. Tortricina". Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales. 6: 521–522. ISSN 0370-047X. Wikidata Q133247581.
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- ^ a b Edward Meyrick (May 1883). "Descriptions of New Zealand Micro-Lepidoptera". Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute. 15: 43. ISSN 1176-6158. Wikidata Q115099569.
- ^ Edward Meyrick (1 July 1911). "A Revision of the Classification of New Zealand Tortricina". Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute. 43: 83. ISSN 1176-6158. Wikidata Q111014011.
- ^ a b c d e f g Hudson, G. V. (1928), The butterflies and moths of New Zealand, Illustrator: George Hudson, Wellington: Ferguson and Osborn Limited, p. 237, LCCN 88133764, OCLC 25449322, Wikidata Q58593286 – via Biodiversity Heritage Library This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- ^ a b "Epichorista siriana (Meyrick, 1881)". NZOR. 2025. Retrieved 9 March 2025.
- ^ E. Meyrick (1927). "Descriptions of New Zealand Lepidoptera". Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute. 57: 698. ISSN 1176-6158. Wikidata Q109466895.
- ^ George Vernon Hudson (1939), A supplement to the butterflies and moths of New Zealand, Illustrator: George Hudson, Wellington: Ferguson and Osborn Limited, p. 434, OCLC 9742724, Wikidata Q109420935 – via Biodiversity Heritage Library
- ^ "Epichorista siriana". iNaturalist. Retrieved 2025-03-09.
- ^ B. H. Patrick (January 1989). "Survey of Lepidoptera at Tara Hills Research Station" (PDF). New Zealand Entomologist. 12 (1): 43. doi:10.1080/00779962.1989.9722562. ISSN 0077-9962. Wikidata Q105740636. Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 February 2013.
