Heterocrossa epomiana facts for kids

Heterocrossa epomiana is a small moth that belongs to the family Carposinidae. This special moth is found only in New Zealand, meaning it is endemic to that country.

How Scientists Classify This Moth

Scientists classify living things to understand how they are related. This moth was first described by a scientist named Edward Meyrick in 1885. He found a specimen (a sample) of the moth in January at Otira Gorge, which is about 1,600 feet high.

Later, in 1922, Meyrick thought this moth's group, Heterocrossa, should be combined with another group called Carposina. Another scientist, George Hudson, also discussed this idea in his 1928 book about New Zealand's butterflies and moths.

However, in 1978, Elwood Zimmerman disagreed. He argued that the Heterocrossa group was unique, especially because of the special body parts of the moths in it. Then, in 1988, John S. Dugdale officially moved the species back to its original group, Heterocrossa. The original specimen, called a holotype, is kept safe at the Natural History Museum, London.

This moth looks very similar to two other moths: Heterocrossa gonosemana and Heterocrossa philpotti.

What This Moth Looks Like

Edward Meyrick described the female moth as about 17 millimeters long. Its head and body are mostly white with light grey specks. Its mouthparts, called palpi, are dark on the bottom and white on top. The antennae are whitish.

The moth's front wings are long and narrow. They are a very pale grey color with white specks, especially near the edges. There are also some scattered dark specks. You might see a small blackish spot near the base of the wing and other small dark spots along the top edge. The back wings are grey-whitish.

Where This Moth Lives

This moth is found only in New Zealand. It has been collected in the Westland area.

Moth Habits

Scientists have observed this moth flying around in January.