Biology:Tingena clarkei

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Short description: Species of moth, endemic to New Zealand

Tingena clarkei
Tingena clarkei 111894643.jpg
Scientific classification edit
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Oecophoridae
Genus: Tingena
Species:
T. clarkei
Binomial name
Tingena clarkei
(Philpott, 1928)[1]
Synonyms[2]
  • Borkhausenia clarkei Philpott, 1928

Tingena clarkei is a species of moth in the family Oecophoridae.[2] It is endemic to New Zealand and has been observed in the North and South Island. This species is on the wing from November until February and inhabits open scrubland or native forest. This species is similar in appearance to Trachypepla photinella.

Taxonomy

Holotype of T. clarkei.

This species was first described by Alfred Philpott in 1928 using specimens collected by C. E. Clarke in Waikaraka Valley and Kauri Gully, Auckland in January, and named Borkhausenia clarkei.[3] George Hudson discussed this species under the name B. clarkei in his 1939 publication A supplement to the butterflies and moths of New Zealand.[4] In 1988 J. S. Dugdale placed this species in the genus Tingena.[2] The male holotype specimen, collected in Kauri Gully, Birkenhead, is held at the Auckland Museum.[2]

Description

Illustration of T. clarkei by George Hudson.

Philpott described this species as follows:

♂. 15–16 mm. Head and antennae greyish-fuscous, ciliations in ♂ ¾. Palpi fuscous, second segment mixed with white within. Abdomen fuscous-grey. Legs, anterior pair fuscous, middle pair fuscous with tibiae and tarsi banded with whitish, posterior pair fuscous-grey. Forewings moderate, costa well arched, apex rounded, termen rounded, oblique; white, irrorated with dark fuscous; stigmata blackish; plical large, obliquely before first discal, coalescing with dark patch on dorsum; irroration tending to form blotches on costa at base, ⅓, ½ and ⅓; apical blotch sending an obscure line to tornus, where it forms a tornal blotch: fringes whitish-grey mixed with fuscous. Hindwings and fringes fuscous-grey.[3]

This species can be confused with Trachypepla photinella.[4]

Distribution

View of Kauri Gully, type locality of T. clarkei.

This species is endemic to New Zealand.[1] Other than the type locality of Kauri Gully, this species has been collected near Mangamuka in Northland,[5] and Albany, north of Auckland.[6] This species has also been observed in Otago.[7]

Behaviour and habitat

This species is on the wing from November until February and inhabits open scrubland or native forest.[6][4]

References

Wikidata ☰ Q13860102 entry