Kiwaia parapleura facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Kiwaia parapleura |
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| Scientific classification | |
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Gelechiidae
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| Genus: |
Kiwaia
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| Species: |
K. parapleura
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| Binomial name | |
| Kiwaia parapleura (Meyrick, 1886)
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The Kiwaia parapleura is a small, fascinating moth that belongs to the family Gelechiidae. This family includes many different kinds of moths, often called "twirler moths" because of how their caterpillars move. This particular moth was first described by a scientist named Edward Meyrick in 1886. You can only find the Kiwaia parapleura moth in New Zealand, making it a special part of that country's wildlife.
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Discovering the Kiwaia parapleura Moth
The Kiwaia parapleura moth is a unique insect found only in New Zealand. It's part of a large group of insects called Lepidoptera, which includes all moths and butterflies. Scientists study these creatures to learn more about our planet's amazing biodiversity.
What Does This Moth Look Like?
The Kiwaia parapleura moth is quite small. Its wingspan, which is the distance from one wingtip to the other when the wings are spread out, is about 16 millimeters. That's roughly the length of a small fingernail!
Its front wings, called forewings, are mostly a dark, smoky brown color, which scientists call "fuscous." But there's a cool design on them! A wide stripe of pale, yellowish-brown, or "whitish-ochreous," runs along the inner edge of the wing. This stripe goes all the way from the base of the wing to the tip, covering almost half of the wing.
Sometimes, you might see three small, faint black spots on these wings. These spots can be hard to see or even missing entirely. One spot is usually in the middle of the wing. Another is a bit lower and further back, on the dark brown part. The third spot is usually beyond the middle of the wing. The back wings, or hindwings, of this moth are a soft, whitish-grey color.
Where Does the Kiwaia parapleura Moth Live?
This moth is an endemic creature of New Zealand. This means it naturally lives only in New Zealand and nowhere else in the world. New Zealand is famous for its unique plants and animals, many of which are found only there. The Kiwaia parapleura moth is one of these special species.
Who First Described This Moth?
The Kiwaia parapleura moth was officially described by Edward Meyrick in 1886. Meyrick was a very important entomologist, a scientist who studies insects. He was especially known for his work on moths and described thousands of new species during his career. His work helped us understand the incredible variety of insect life on Earth.
