Cateristis eustyla facts for kids

Cateristis eustyla is a tiny moth found in New Zealand and Tasmania. It belongs to a group of moths called Lyonetiidae. Scientists don't have enough information about this moth, so it's listed as "Data Deficient" by New Zealand's Department of Conservation.

About the Cateristis Eustyla Moth

Discovery of the Moth

The Cateristis eustyla moth was first described by a scientist named Edward Meyrick in 1889. He found a specimen of this moth in December at a place called Riccarton Bush in New Zealand.

Another scientist, George Hudson, also wrote about this moth in 1928. The original specimen, which is very important for studying the species, is kept at the Natural History Museum, London in England.

What Does It Look Like?

This moth is quite small, usually about 10 to 11 millimeters long. That's about the length of a fingernail!

Its head and the part of its body where the wings attach (called the thorax) are mostly white. The antennae, which are like feelers, are a whitish-grey color.

The front wings are shaped like a spear and are snow-white. They have a thin, dark line along the front edge. The back wings are a light grey.

Where Does It Live?

The Cateristis eustyla moth has been found in New Zealand and also in Tasmania, an island state of Australia.

However, this moth hasn't been seen or recorded in New Zealand since 1882. This makes it hard for scientists to study it today.

Its Home Environment

This moth likes to live in forest areas. Forests provide the right kind of environment and plants that these moths need to survive.

Conservation Status

The Cateristis eustyla moth is currently listed as "Data Deficient" under the New Zealand Threat Classification System.

"Data Deficient" means that scientists don't have enough information or recent sightings to know if the moth population is healthy or if it's in danger. More research is needed to understand how well this species is doing.