Cateristis
| Cateristis | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Clade: | Pancrustacea |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Lyonetiidae |
| Subfamily: | Lyonetiinae |
| Genus: | Cateristis Meyrick, 1889 |
| Species: | C. eustyla |
| Binomial name | |
| Cateristis eustyla Meyrick, 1889 | |
Cateristis eustyla is a species of moth in the family Tineidae. It is the only species in the genus Cateristis.[2] This species is found in Tasmania and has been stated as being collected at Riccarton Bush in Christchurch, New Zealand. However this collection location is doubtful and this species is highly unlikely to be present in New Zealand.
Taxonomy
Cateristis eustyla was first described by Edward Meyrick in 1889 using specimen he stated as being collected at Riccarton Bush in December.[3][4] In 1928 George Hudson discussed the species.[5] The collection location of this specimen is uncertain and in 2025 Robert Hoare discussed the likely absence of this species in New Zealand.[6] The lectotype specimen is held at the Natural History Museum, London.[4]
Description
Meyrick described the species as follows:
♂. 10-11mm. Head and thorax white, face grey. Palpi dark fuscous. Antennae whitish-grey. Abdomen grey. Legs dark grey, tarsi ringed with white, middle and posterior tibiae grey-whitish. Forewings lanceolate; snow-white; costa slenderly dark fuscous from about 1⁄4 to 3⁄4 : cilia light grey, towards base whiter, round apex wholly white or ochreous-white, with a grey dot. Hindwings and cilia light grey.[3]
Distribution
This species is found in Tasmania and possibly also in Canberra.[5][6] It had previously been assumed to have been present in New Zealand.[7][8] However this species has not been recorded in New Zealand since 1882.[4][9] Also, Meyrick, who is said to have collected specimens of this species in both Tasmania and Christchurch, is known to have lived in both Australia and New Zealand in the mid-1880s.[6] Meyrick had previously mislabelled the collection location of specimens leading to doubt about whether the lectotype specimen for C. eustyla was actually collected at Riccarton Bush.[6] It has been hypothesised that even if the lectotype was collected at Riccarton Bush this specimen was a result of an accidental introduction of this species into New Zealand.[6] As a result, this species is regarded as not being present in New Zealand.[6]
Habitat
This species frequents forest habitat.[5]
Conservation status
As at 2015, this species was classified as being "Data Deficient" conservation status under the New Zealand Threat Classification System (NZTCS).[1] However in 2025 this species was excluded from those considered under the NZTCS as scientists regarded this species as being extremely unlikely to be found in New Zealand.[6]
References
- 1 2 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.
- ↑ "Cateristis Meyrick, 1889". Catalogue of Life. Species 2000: Leiden, the Netherlands. Retrieved 29 November 2025.
- 1 2 Meyrick, E. (1889). "Descriptions of New Zealand Microlepidoptera". Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute. 21: 154–188.
- 1 2 3 Dugdale, J. S. (1988). "Lepidoptera - annotated catalogue, and keys to family-group taxa" (PDF). Fauna of New Zealand. 14: 79. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 January 2019. Retrieved 30 May 2018.
- 1 2 3 Hudson, G. V. (1928). The Butterflies and Moths of New Zealand. Wellington: Ferguson & Osborn Ltd. p. 332. OCLC 25449322. Archived from the original on 2020-09-28. Retrieved 2018-05-31.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Robert J.B. Hoare; Eric D. Edwards; Carey Knox; Will T. Frost; Pascale Michel (April 2026). "Conservation status of Lepidoptera (moths and butterflies) in Aotearoa New Zealand, 2025" (PDF). New Zealand Threat Classification Series. 51: 1–58. ISSN 2324-1713. Wikidata Q139379012.
- ↑ "Cateristis eustyla Meyrick, 1889". www.nzor.org.nz. Landcare Research New Zealand Ltd. Retrieved 30 May 2018.
- ↑ 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. LCCN 2011379669. OCLC 973607714. OL 25288394M. Wikidata Q45922947.
- ↑ Horak, M.; Day, M. F.; Barlow, C.; Edwards, E. D.; Su, Y. N.; Cameron, S. L. (2012). "Systematics and biology of the iconic Australian scribbly gum moths Ogmograptis Meyrick (Lepidoptera : Bucculatricidae) and their unique insect?plant interaction". Invertebrate Systematics. 26 (4): 357. doi:10.1071/IS12022.