Pasiphila magnimaculata

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Pasiphila magnimaculata
Female
Male
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Geometridae
Genus: Pasiphila
Species:
P. magnimaculata
Binomial name
Pasiphila magnimaculata
(Philpott, 1915)[1]
Synonyms
  • Chloroclystis magnimaculata Philpott, 1915
  • Chloroclystis rufipellis Meyrick, 1927
  • Chloroclystis irabunda Prout, 1958

Pasiphila magnimaculata is a moth of the family Geometridae.[1] This species was first described by Alfred Philpott in 1915. It is endemic to New Zealand and has been observed in both the North and South Islands.

Taxonomy

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This species was first described by Alfred Philpott in 1915 using specimens collected in Queenstown by Merlin Owen Pasco and originally named Chloroclystis magnimaculata.[2] In 1928 George Hudson illustrated and discussed this species under that name in his book The butterflies and moths of New Zealand.[3] In 1971 John S. Dugdale placed this species in the genus Pasiphila.[4] The male holotype specimen is held at the New Zealand Arthropod Collection.[5]

Description

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Illustration by Hudson.

Philpott originally described the adults of this species as follows:

♂♀. 19-21 mm. Head, palpi, and thorax greyish-green, in ♀ ochreous. Palpi 2. Antennae in ♂ ciliate-fasciculate, ciliations 4. Abdomen greenish-grey, in ♀ ochreous, with a reddish-fuscous antemedian band. Forewings triangular, costa gently arched, termen subsinuate, moderately oblique ; greyish-green ; costa narrowly reddish to 1⁄4 ; numerous reddish-fuscous waved lines from base to 3⁄4 , forming curved fascia at 1⁄3 ; outer edge of median band broadly and obtusely projecting at middle ; a large apical blotch of bright reddish-fuscous ; a smaller and paler tornal blotch with a minute white dot near centre ; subterminal line serrate, grey-green ; a reddish-fuscous line round termen : cilia greyish-green, suffused with reddish-fuscous except at middle of termen. Hindwings unevenly rounded ; pale greenish-grey ; a reddish-fuscous discal dot and numerous obscure waved reddish-fuscous striae, more prominent on dorsum : cilia greenish-grey with faint reddish-fuscous bars.[2]

This species is very variable in appearance especially with regard to the intensity of colour pattern of specimens.[5]

Distribution

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Live specimen

P. magnimaculata is endemic to New Zealand and has been observed in both the North and South Islands including in the Otago region and on Quail Island.[1][6][7]

Habitat and hosts

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This species usually inhabits montane areas.[6] The larvae feed on the flowers of Gaultheria crassa.[7]

Behaviour

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Adults have been observed on the wing from October to February.[8]

References

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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Pasiphila magnimaculata.
  1. ^ a b c "Pasiphila magnimaculata (Philpott, 1915)". www.nzor.org.nz. Landcare Research New Zealand Ltd. Retrieved 26 January 2017.
  2. ^ a b Alfred Philpott (12 July 1915). "Descriptions of new species of Lepidoptera". Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute. 47: 193. ISSN 1176-6158. Wikidata Q66084596.BHL page 3343645Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  3. ^ Hudson, G. V. (1928), The butterflies and moths of New Zealand, Illustrator: George Hudson, Wellington: Ferguson and Osborn Limited, p. 94, LCCN 88133764, OCLC 25449322, Wikidata Q58593286BHL page 61899705Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  4. ^ Dugdale, J. S. (10 November 1971). "Entomology of the Aucklands and other islands south of New Zealand: Lepidoptera, excluding non-crambine Pyralidae". Pacific Insects Monographs. 27: 106. ISSN 0078-7515. Wikidata Q64006453.
  5. ^ a b 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: 188. doi:10.7931/J2/FNZ.14. ISSN 0111-5383. Wikidata Q45083134.
  6. ^ a b Patrick, H.J.H.; Bowie, M.H.; Fox, B.W.; Patrick, B.H. (2011). "The moths of Quail Island (Otamahua): a faunal comparison of an island under restoration with other sites on Banks Peninsula" (PDF). New Zealand Natural Sciences Journal. 36: 57–72. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2017-01-26.
  7. ^ a b Brian H. Patrick; Brian M. Lyford; John B. Ward; Barbara I.P. Barratt (December 1992). "Lepidoptera and other insects of the Rastus Burn Basin, The Remarkables, Otago". Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand. 22 (4): 276. doi:10.1080/03036758.1992.10420820. ISSN 0303-6758. Wikidata Q60326057.
  8. ^ "Pasiphila magnimaculata (Philpott, 1915)". www.gbif.org. Retrieved 2025-08-07.


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