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Dichromodes ida

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Dichromodes ida
Female
Male
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Geometridae
Genus: Dichromodes
Species:
D. ida
Binomial name
Dichromodes ida
Hudson, 1905

Dichromodes ida is a moth of the family Geometridae.[1] This species was first described by George Hudson in 1905. It is endemic to New Zealand.

Taxonomy

This species was first described by George Hudson in 1905 using a specimen collected at Ida Valley by J. H. Lewis.[2] The male lectotype is held at Te Papa.[3]

Description

Illustration of male by G. Hudson

J. H. Lewis, the collector of the holotype specimen, was quoted by Hudson describing the pupa and larvae of this species.[2] Lewis was quoted as follows:

The specimen was bred from a pupa found in a cleft of rock: a chamber had been formed by cementing moss - dust and silk together. From the fragments of caterpillar-skin remaining, I judge that the larva was one I had tried unsuccessfully to rear a few weeks ago, found feeding openly on lichen, remarkable for its fimbriated aspect, each segment being produced into irregular lobed processes at the edges—very protective amongst lichen.[2]

Hudson described this species as follows:

The expansion of the wings is ⅞ in. The fore wings are very pale greenish-blue, speckled and marked with black. There is an ill-defined wavy black stripe near the base, another at about ⅓; this is followed by a large central clear space containing a conspicuous discal spot above middle. There is a conspicuous very jagged black stripe from a little more than ½ of costa to about ¾ of dorsum, followed by a very conspicuous pale-ochreous line; beyond this are two somewhat ill-defined black bands. The cilia are black, mixed with pale bluish-green. The hind wings are ochreous tinged with reddish and speckled with black, especially towards the base and termen. There is a conspicuous black discal spot and a clear rather wavy yellowish band about ¾ from base to termen. The cilia are blackish. Head and thorax black dotted with pale bluish-green; abdomen yellowish.[2]

Distribution

This species is endemic to New Zealand.[4]

Habitat and hosts

This species inhabits open rocky country.[5]

Behaviour

The adults of this species are on the wing in November.[5]

References

  1. ^ Gordon, Dennis P., ed. (2010). New Zealand inventory of biodiversity: Kingdom animalia: chaetognatha, ecdysozoa, ichnofossils. Vol. 2. p. 460. ISBN 978-1-877257-93-3. OCLC 973607714. OL 25288394M. Wikidata Q45922947.
  2. ^ a b c d George Vernon Hudson (1905). "On some New Species of Macro-lepidoptera in New Zealand". Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute. 37: 356–357. ISSN 1176-6158. Wikidata Q117479338.
  3. ^ John Stewart Dugdale (23 September 1988). "Lepidoptera - annotated catalogue, and keys to family-group taxa". Fauna of New Zealand. 14. Department of Scientific and Industrial Research: 192. doi:10.7931/J2/FNZ.14. ISSN 0111-5383. Wikidata Q45083134.
  4. ^ "Dichromodes ida Hudson, 1905". www.nzor.org.nz. Retrieved 2022-03-04.
  5. ^ a b George Vernon Hudson (1928), The butterflies and moths of New Zealand, Illustrator: George Hudson, Wellington: Ferguson and Osborn Limited, p. 134, LCCN 88133764, OCLC 25449322, Wikidata Q58593286