Asterivora albifasciata facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Asterivora albifasciata |
|
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | |
| Phylum: | |
| Class: | |
| Order: | |
| Family: |
Choreutidae
|
| Genus: |
Asterivora
|
| Species: |
A. albifasciata
|
| Binomial name | |
| Asterivora albifasciata (Philpott, 1924)
|
|
| Synonyms | |
|
|
The Asterivora albifasciata is a small moth that belongs to the family Choreutidae. This special moth is found only in New Zealand, meaning it is endemic to that country.
Contents
Discovering the Moth
This moth species was first described by a scientist named Alfred Philpott in 1924. He gave it the name Simaethis albifasciata at that time.
When a new species is found, scientists keep a special example of it. This first example is called a holotype. The holotype for the Asterivora albifasciata moth is kept safe at the New Zealand Arthropod Collection.
What Does It Look Like?
This moth is quite small, with a wingspan of about 11 to 12 millimeters. That's about the size of a fingernail!
- Head and Body: Its head and the part of its body where the wings attach (thorax) are a shiny, bronzy-brown color. They have many tiny white speckles.
- Antennae: The antennae, which are like feelers, are also bronzy-brown. They have white rings along them.
- Abdomen: The main body part (abdomen) is bronzy-brown, but the lines between its segments are white.
- Legs: Its legs are a light brown color mixed with white.
Forewings
The front wings (forewings) are mostly bronzy-brown with some blackish parts. They have interesting patterns:
- There's a patch of white scales near the base of the wing.
- A wide, uneven band of white scales crosses the wing in the middle.
- A small white spot on the top edge (costa) leads to a very wavy line. This line is made of shiny violet and blue scales mixed with white.
- Another wide white band is found closer to the wing's edge.
- A final line of white scales runs along the very edge of the wing, but it might be broken in the middle.
Hindwings
The back wings (hindwings) are a pale bronzy-brown. They have a straight white stripe that starts near the bottom corner and goes about halfway across the wing towards the top edge.
Where It Lives
The Asterivora albifasciata moth is only found in New Zealand. This means it is a unique part of New Zealand's wildlife.
Images for kids
-
Mount Arthur, where A. albifasciata was first found.
-
The plant Celmisia brevifolia, which the moth's larvae might eat.
_021.jpg)
