Hydriomena iolanthe facts for kids

Hydriomena iolanthe is a type of moth found only in New Zealand. It belongs to the family called Geometridae. This moth is quite mysterious! Scientists only know about it from one single moth specimen. Sadly, this original specimen is now lost. Because of this, they haven't been able to find any other moths that look exactly like it. The Department of Conservation says it is data deficient. This means we don't have enough information to know if it's in danger or not.

About This Moth's Name

This moth was first described by a scientist named George Hudson in 1939. He studied a female moth collected by F. S. Oliver in January 1918. This moth was found near Lake Harris.

The single moth specimen was damaged. It was even missing its antennae (feelers!). Because of this, Hudson wasn't sure exactly which group, or "genus," the moth belonged to. So, he gave it a name like Hydriomena (or Xanthorhoe) iolanthe. The drawing he made was even labeled Hydriomena? iolanthe, showing his uncertainty.

Scientists still think that the way New Zealand moths in the Hydriomena group are classified isn't quite right. They believe it needs to be looked at again. So, this moth is sometimes called Hydriomena (s.l.) iolanthe. The "s.l." means "in a broad sense." It shows that its exact place in the moth family tree is still being figured out. It's even possible that this moth was a European species that was accidentally mislabeled.

What Hydriomena iolanthe Looks Like

George Hudson described this moth as having a wingspan of about 22 millimeters (which is about 7⁄8 of an inch). Its front wings have a slightly rounded tip.

Here's a simpler look at its colors and patterns:

• The base of the front wings is a deep reddish-brown.
• There's a faint pale line across this area.
• Next, there's an orange-brown section.
• A narrow whitish-yellow band crosses the wing. This band bends sharply near the top edge. It also has a thin, dark line inside it.
• The middle part of the wing is a dull red, with a hint of purple. It has a small black dot and two thin, wavy dark lines.
• The outer edge of this middle band is wavy. It has small bumps, especially one noticeable rounded bump in the middle.
• The part of the wing near the body is much narrower.
• Beyond the middle band, the wing is a pale brownish-yellow.
• There are two more thin, wavy dark lines just outside the middle band.
• Near the tip of the wing, there's a bright yellowish-brown patch. Below this, there's a dark brownish-black patch.
• A very wavy, paler line runs near the edge of the wing. There are also tiny dark marks right on the edge.
• The hind wings are a dull whitish-yellow. They have many faint brownish-yellow lines across them. Some of these lines become darker towards the body.
• There are tiny dots along the edge of the hind wings.
• The fringes (hairs) on the edges of all the wings are a dull brownish-yellow.

Where This Moth Lives

This moth is native to New Zealand. It has only ever been found in one specific place. This place is called Lake Harris, which is on the Routeburn Track. This area is near the border of the Otago Lakes and Fiordland regions.

When This Moth is Active

Scientists know very little about the behavior of Hydriomena iolanthe. The only specimen found was flying in January. This suggests that adult moths are active during that month.

What This Moth Might Eat

Scientists have a guess about what the caterpillars of H. iolanthe might eat. They think it could be a type of plant called Coprosma. This idea comes from the fact that the drawing of this moth looks a bit like moths from another group called Austrocidaria. Moths in the Austrocidaria group are known to eat Coprosma plants.

Its Conservation Status

This moth is listed as data deficient under the New Zealand Threat Classification System. This means we don't have enough information to know if it's rare or common, or if it needs special protection. The only description of this moth came from a single specimen, which is now lost. The drawing made by Hudson has not been matched to any other known moth species, either native to New Zealand or brought in from other places.