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Pyroderces apparitella facts for kids

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Pyroderces apparitella
Pyroderces apparitella by flossiepip.jpg
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Phylum:
Class:
Order:
Family:
Cosmopterigidae
Genus:
Pyroderces
Species:
P. apparitella
Binomial name
Pyroderces apparitella
(Walker, 1864)
Synonyms
  • Gelechia apparitella Walker, 1864
  • Proterocosma apparitella (Walker, 1864)
  • Anatrachyntis apparitella (Walker, 1864)

Pyroderces apparitella is a species of moth in the family Cosmopterigidae. It is endemic to New Zealand.

Taxonomy

Pyroderces apparitella Fig 22 Plate XXVIII The butterflies (cropped)

This species was first described by Francis Walker in 1864 using a female specimen obtained from D. Bolton in Auckland and named Gelechia apparitella. The holotype specimen is held at the Natural History Museum, London. In 1888 Edward Meyrick placed this species within the genus Proterocosma. However, in 1928 George Hudson discussed and illustrated the species under the name Pyroderces apparitella. John S. Dugdale affirmed the placement of this species in the genus Pyroderces in 1988.

Description

Walker described the species as follows:

Gilded ochraceous, slender. Head in front and under side silvery whitish. Palpi smooth, very slender, more than thrice longer than the breadth of the head; third joint setiform, as long as the second. Antennae slender, silvery white, shorter than the fore wings, with a black ring on each joint. Tibiae and tarsi with gilded bands. Fore wings with a silvery white line extending from the base towards a transverse outwardly and very acutely angular white line; two more exterior oblique white black-bordered lines, the first forming two angles, the second forming an outward acute and very prominent angle; two longitudinal subapical streaks, one black, the other white. Hind wings cinereous-aeneous. Length of the body 3 lines; of the wings 9 lines.

Distribution

This species is endemic to New Zealand. It is found in the North Island.

Behaviour and biology

It is on the wing in December and January.

Habitat and host species

This species inhabits forests and residential gardens.

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