Tingena loxotis facts for kids

Tingena loxotis is a species of moth in the family Oecophoridae. This species is endemic to New Zealand. It is classified as "Data Deficient" by the Department of Conservation.

Taxonomy

This species was described by Edward Meyrick in 1905 using a specimen he collected in Wellington in January. Meyrick named the species Borkhausenia loxotis. George Hudson described and illustrated the species under this name in his 1928 publication The Moths and Butterflies of New Zealand. Hudson's illustration of the species is regarded as a poor representation. In 1988 John S. Dugdale assigned this species to the genus Tingena. The lectotype specimen is held at the Natural History Museum, London.

Description

Meyrick described the species as follows:

♂︎. 11-12 mm. Head and palpi dark fuscous irrorated with ochreous-whitish. Antennae dark fuscous, pale-ringed. Thorax and abdomen dark fuscous. Fore-wings elongate, costa moderately arched, apex round-pointed, termen very obliquely rounded ; dark fuscous ; some scattered pale yellowish scales along submedian fold ; a narrow straight pale ochreous-yellowish fascia, edged with some black scales, from 1⁄4 of costa to 2⁄3 of dorsum ; a pale ochreous-yellow dot in disc at 2⁄3, and sometimes others on costa beyond middle and at tornus ; a more or less indicated subterminal line of pale yellowish scales, starting from a small costal spot : cilia fuscous, irrorated with yellow-whitish. Hind-wings dark fuscous ; cilia fuscous, with darker basal shade.

Distribution

This species is endemic to New Zealand. This species has been collected at the Wellington Botanic Gardens and more recently at Taihape.

Biology and behaviour

The adults of this species is on the wing in December and January. Hudson regarded this species as having semi domesticated habits, being found in gardens and entering houses.

Conservation Status

This species has been classified as having the "Data Deficient" conservation status under the New Zealand Threat Classification System.