Pseudocoremia terrena
| Pseudocoremia terrena | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Female | |
 | |
| Male | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Clade: | Pancrustacea |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Geometridae |
| Genus: | Pseudocoremia |
| Species: | P. terrena |
| Binomial name | |
| Pseudocoremia terrena | |
| Synonyms[2] | |
| |
Pseudocoremia terrena is a species of moth in the family Geometridae.[3] This species was first described by Alfred Philpott in 1915. It is endemic to New Zealand and is found in the southern parts of the South Island. This species inhabits the uppper edge of subalpine native forests. Larvae feed on species in the genus Veronica. Adults are on the wing from November until March.
Taxonomy
This species was first described by Alfred Philpott in 1915 and originally named Selidosema terrena.[4] George Hudson, discussed and illustrated this species in his 1928 book The butterflies and moths of New Zealand under that name.[5] In 1988 John S. Dugdale assigned the species to the genus Pseudocoremia.[2] The male holotype specimen, collected by Harold Hamilton at Bold Peak of the Humboldt Mountains, is held at Te Papa.[2]
Description
Philpott described this species as follows:
♂. 49 mm. Head grey mixed with brown. Antennae dull brown, ciliations long. Thorax brown mixed with grey. Abdomen grey. Legs grey, sprinkled and annulated with fuscous-brown. Forewings triangular, costa straight, termen evenly rounded, oblique ; whitish-grey, densely irrorated with, brownish-fuscous which forms indistinct basal, first, second, and subterminal fasciae; a rather large inwardly oblique discal dot: cilia (incomplete) grey mixed with brown. Hindwings greyish-white, minutely sprinkled with brownish-fuscous : cilia grey.[4]
The female does not have brachypterous or narrower and sharper wings that can be found in sister species such as those in the P. modica complex.[6]
Philpott explained that this species is similar in appearance to Pseudocoremia productata in the form of its wing and its antennae structure but can be distinguishing from that species as the hindwings of P. terrena are grey.[4]
Distribution
This species is endemic to New Zealand.[1] It has been observed in the southern parts of the South Island.[5][6]
Habitat and hosts
P. terrena inhabits the upper edge of subalpine native forests.[5] The larval host of this moth are species in the genus Veronica.[6]
Behaviour
Adults of this species are on the wing from November until March.[7]
References
- 1 2 "Pseudocoremia terrena (Philpott, 1915)". www.nzor.org.nz. Retrieved 2022-04-29.
- 1 2 3 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: 169. doi:10.7931/j2/fnz.14. ISSN 0111-5383. Wikidata Q45083134.
- ↑ Gordon, Dennis P., ed. (2010). New Zealand inventory of biodiversity: Kingdom animalia: chaetognatha, ecdysozoa, ichnofossils. Vol. 2. p. 459. ISBN 978-1-877257-93-3. LCCN 2011379669. OCLC 973607714. OL 25288394M. Wikidata Q45922947.
- 1 2 3 Alfred Philpott (12 July 1915). "Descriptions of new species of Lepidoptera". Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute. 47: 196. ISSN 1176-6158. Wikidata Q66084596. BHL page 3343107
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain. - 1 2 3 Hudson, G. V. (1928), The butterflies and moths of New Zealand, Illustrator: George Hudson, Wellington: Ferguson and Osborn Limited, p. 140, LCCN 88133764, OCLC 25449322, Wikidata Q58593286 BHL page 61899751 This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- 1 2 3 Andréa E. A. Stephens; George Gibbs; Brian H. Patrick (2007). "Three new species in the Pseudocoremia modica (Philpott, 1921) complex (Lepidoptera: Geometridae: Ennominae) and their evolutionary relationships". New Zealand Entomologist. 30 (1): 71–78. doi:10.1080/00779962.2007.9722153. ISSN 0077-9962. Wikidata Q42065235.
- ↑ "Pseudocoremia terrena". www.gbif.org. Retrieved 2026-07-11.