Dichromodes ida
| Dichromodes ida | |
|---|---|
| |
| Female | |
| |
| Male | |
Scientific 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 (also known as the blue & orange rock looper)[1] is a moth of the family Geometridae.[2] 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.[3] The male lectotype is held at Te Papa.[4]
Description
.jpg)
J. H. Lewis, the collector of the holotype specimen, was quoted by Hudson describing the pupa and larvae of this species.[3] 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.[3]
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.[3]
Distribution
This species is endemic to New Zealand.[5] It is endemic to Central Otago.[1]
Habitat and hosts
Larvae of this species feed on lichens which grow on rocks.[1] This species inhabits open rocky country at altitudes between 100 to 900 m.[6][1]
Behaviour
The adults of this species are on the wing between October and December.[1]
References
- ^ a b c d e Crowe, Andrew (2002). Which New Zealand insect? : with over 650 life-size photos of New Zealand insects. Auckland, N.Z.: Penguin. p. 22. ISBN 0-14-100636-6. OCLC 52477325.
- ^ 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.
- ^ 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.
- ^ 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.
- ^ "Dichromodes ida Hudson, 1905". www.nzor.org.nz. Retrieved 2022-03-04.
- ^ 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