Platyptilia hokowhitalis facts for kids

Platyptilia hokowhitalis is a species of moth in the family Pterophoridae. This species is endemic to New Zealand. This species has been classified as Data Deficient by the Department of Conservation.

Taxonomy

This species was originally described and illustrated by George Hudson in 1939. He used a specimen collected on 10 November 1889 in Hokowhitu Bush in Palmerston North. Hudson had previously discussed the species in 1928 mistakenly under the name Platyptilia celidota. The holotype specimen is held at the Museum of New Zealand, Te Papa Tongarewa.

Description

Hudson described the species as follows:

The expansion of the wings is 3⁄4 inch (19 mm.). The fore-wings are pale brownish-ochreous; a series of rather faint darker marks on costa from base to near origin of cleft ; a conspicuous black mark at base of cleft, almost at right angles with costa, its upper extremity being very slightly nearer base of wing than lower extremity ; cilia brownish-ochreous with slight blackish scale tufts on inner sides of cleft near termen, and strong tufts on dorsum. Hind-wings and cilia paler and slightly greyer than fore-wings ; the blackish scale tufts on dorsum of third plume quite evident.

Distribution

This species is endemic to New Zealand. This species can be found in the Wellington, Whanganui and Taranaki areas. It has been found at Meremere Bush.

Habitat

The holotype of this species was captured in forest habitat. This type locality is now a suburb of Palmerston North.

Host species

Larvae of this species have been reared from a shrubby Euphrasia.

Conservation status

This species has been classified as having the "Data Deficient" conservation status under the New Zealand Threat Classification System.