Gymnobathra origenes facts for kids

Gymnobathra origenes is a very rare species of moth. It belongs to a group of moths called Oecophoridae. This special moth is found only in New Zealand. Scientists have only ever found one of these moths! Because of this, it's listed as "Data Deficient" by the New Zealand Department of Conservation. This means we don't have enough information about it.

Discovering the Gymnobathra origenes Moth

This moth was first described by a scientist named Edward Meyrick in 1936. He studied a single moth specimen found by Stewart Lindsay. This specimen was collected from Mount St Arnaud in New Zealand, high up at about 1200 meters (almost 4,000 feet).

Another scientist, George Hudson, also wrote about and drew this moth. He included it in his book The Butterflies and Moths of New Zealand in 1928. The original moth specimen, which is called the holotype, is kept safe at the Canterbury Museum.

What Scientists Think About Its Family

Scientists are still trying to figure out the exact family this moth belongs to. The way it's currently grouped isn't perfect. Since there's only one specimen, and it's missing its abdomen (the back part of its body), it's hard to study properly. Some scientists think it might actually belong to a different moth family called Gelechiidae.

What the Gymnobathra origenes Moth Looks Like

When Edward Meyrick first described this moth, he noted its features. The moth is about 12 millimeters long, which is a little less than half an inch.

He described it like this:

The moth has a dark brownish-bronze head and body. Its feelers are also dark brown. The front wings are long, with a slightly curved top edge and a pointed tip. They are dark brownish-bronze, and the bases of the scales are pale. There are very faint dark spots on the wings. The back wings are grey, with light grey fringes that have a hint of bronze-white.

Where the Gymnobathra origenes Moth Lives

The G. origenes moth is endemic to New Zealand. This means it's found nowhere else in the world! So far, it has only ever been found in the Saint Arnaud Range area.

Life and Behavior of the Moth

Scientists know very little about the life of this moth because it's so rare. We only know that the adult moths have been seen flying in December.

Protecting the Gymnobathra origenes Moth

This species has a "Data Deficient" conservation status under the New Zealand Threat Classification System. This means we don't have enough information to know if it's endangered or not. More research is needed to understand how to protect this unique New Zealand moth.