Sabatinca barbarica facts for kids

Sabatinca barbarica is a species of moth belonging to the family Micropterigidae. It was described by Alfred Philpott in 1918 and is endemic to New Zealand. In 2014, George W. Gibbs synonymised this nominal species with Sabatinca caustica Meyrick, 1912.

Original description

Wingspan 10–11 millimetres (0.39–0.43 in). Head rather bright ochreous. Antennae pale ochreous, apical portion black. Thorax ochreous. Abdomen dark greyish-fuscous. Legs ochreous, tarsi annulated with black. Forewings ovate-lanceolate, costa moderately arched, apex acute, termen extremely oblique; pale ochreous; a bright coppery suffusion along dorsum often segregated into one or more spots; base of costa obscurely darker; an interrupted irregular coppery fascia from costa near base to tornus, sometimes including an almost black spot at middle; sometimes one or more coppery spots on costa at 1/2; three coppery (sometimes blackish) spots on costa at apex, from which an irregular coppery fascia runs towards dorsum, connecting with first fascia above tornus; sometimes a blackish dot on termen at middle; cilia pale ochreous.

Taxonomy

This species is currently regarded as a synonym for Sabatinca caustica.

Habitat and behaviour

Adults were found amongst low herbage in the forest in December and January.

Images for kids

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  Sabatinca caustica as illustrated by George Hudson

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  Takitimu Mountains, collection location of S. caustica