Elachista_melanura
Elachista melanura
Species of moth endemic to New Zealand
Elachista melanura is a species of moth in the family Elachistidae. This species is endemic to New Zealand. It is classified as "Data Deficient" by the Department of Conservation.
| Elachista melanura | |
|---|---|
| Holotype specimen | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Elachistidae |
| Genus: | Elachista |
| Species: | E. melanura |
| Binomial name | |
| Elachista melanura | |
This species was originally described by Edward Meyrick in 1889 using a female specimen collected in Hamilton in January.[3][4] Hudson discussed this species in his 1928 publication The Moths and Butterflies of New Zealand.[5] The holotype is held at the Natural History Museum, London.[4]
Meyrick described the species as follows:
♂. 13mm. Head, palpi, antennæ, and thorax whitish-grey. Abdomen ochreous-whitish, with a dense black apical exsertible tuft. Legs dark fuscous, posterior pair ochreous-whitish. Forewings lanceolate; whitish-grey, somewhat irrorated with darker; an elongate black dot on fold before middle, a second in disc above middle, and a third in disc at ⅔: cilia grey-whitish, with a spot of black scales at base round apex, and tips sprinkled with black. Hindwings and cilia pale whitish-grey.[3]
This species is endemic to New Zealand.[2][6] Other than its type locality, this species has also been collected in Titirangi in February 2000.[7][8]
The type specimen was collected in heath-like scrub and swamp habitat.[4] It has also been collected in gumland and pakihi (a type of wetland).[7][9]
This species has been classified as having the "Data Deficient" conservation status under the New Zealand Threat Classification System.[1]
- Hoare, R.J.B.; Dugdale, J.S.; Edwards, E.D.; Gibbs, G.W.; Patrick, B.H.; Hitchmough, R.A.; Rolfe, J.R. (2017). "Conservation status of New Zealand butterflies and moths (Lepidoptera), 2015" (PDF). New Zealand Threat Classification Series. 20: 8.
- "Elachista melanura Meyrick, 1889". www.nzor.org.nz. Landcare Research New Zealand Ltd. Retrieved 2018-05-31.
- Meyrick, Edward (May 1889). "Descriptions of New Zealand Micro-Lepidoptera". Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute. 21: 154–188 – via Biodiversity Heritage Library.
- Dugdale, J. S. (1988). "Lepidoptera-annotated catalogue, and keys to family-group taxa" (PDF). Fauna of New Zealand. 14: 1–264. ISBN 0477025188. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2019-01-27. Retrieved 2018-05-16 – via Landcare Research New Zealand Ltd.
- Hudson, G. V. (1928). The Butterflies and Moths of New Zealand. Wellington: Ferguson & Osborn Ltd. p. 320. OCLC 25449322.
- "NZTCS Lepidoptera spreadsheet". www.doc.govt.nz. Retrieved 30 May 2018.
- Environmental Impact Assessment of Aerial Spraying Btk in NZ for painted apple moth (Report). Ministry for Primary Industries. February 2003. Archived from the original on 2014-09-20. Retrieved 31 May 2018.