Austramathes pessota facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Austramathes pessota
Female
Male
Scientific classification
Synonyms
Miselia pessota Meyrick, 1887 Sympistis pessota (Meyrick, 1887) Hypnotype pessota (Meyrick, 1887) Andesia pessota (Meyrick, 1887)

The Austramathes pessota is a type of moth that belongs to the Noctuidae family. This moth is special because it is endemic to New Zealand, meaning it is found naturally nowhere else in the world.

About the Austramathes pessota Moth

Scientists give names to all living things to help us study them. The Austramathes pessota moth has had a few name changes over the years as scientists learned more about it.

How the Moth Got Its Name

• In 1887, a scientist named Edward Meyrick first described this moth. He gave it the name Miselia pessota.
• Later, in 1906, another scientist, George Hampson, thought it might belong to a different group called Sympistis.
• Meyrick disagreed and in 1911, he suggested it might fit into the Hypnotype group instead.
• By 1914, Meyrick changed his mind again and placed it in the Andesia group.
• Finally, in 2017, Robert J. B. Hoare studied the moth closely. He decided it best fit into the group called Austramathes, which is its current scientific name.

What the Austramathes pessota Moth Looks Like

This moth is about 1 inch (2.5 cm) wide when its wings are spread out.

• Its front wings are a dull purplish-brown color.
• They have a black mark near the body with a thin white line inside.
• There are also two special marks on the front wings:
  • A small, round mark outlined in white and then black.
  • A larger, oblong (oval) mark that is dull white with pale yellow edges.
• You can also see a clear black mark between these two special spots.
• The back wings of the moth are a dull grey, with lighter-colored hairs along the edges.

Where the Austramathes pessota Moth Lives

You can find the Austramathes pessota moth in different parts of New Zealand. It lives in:

• Northland, which is in the northern part of the North Island.
• The southern part of the North Island.
• Mainly on the eastern side of the South Island.

What the Moth Larvae Eat

The young moths, called larvae or caterpillars, need specific plants to eat. These plants are called "host species."

• The larvae of the Austramathes pessota moth feed on a plant called Melicytus alpinus.
• Scientists also think they might eat another plant called Melicytus micranthus.

Images for kids

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  Melicytus alpinus a larval host of A. pessota.