Biology:Declana floccosa
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| Species: | D. floccosa
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| Declana floccosa Walker, 1858[1]
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Declana floccosa, the forest semilooper or manuka moth is a moth of the family Geometridae. It is endemic to New Zealand.[1] It was first described by Francis Walker in 1863 using specimens obtained from Colonel Bolton.[2]
The wingspan of this species is 27–35 mm and is extremely variable in colour and patterning.[3][4][5]
The larvae feed on a wide range of native and exotic broad-leaved and coniferous shrubs and trees.[6] Exotic hosts include Pinus radiata and other Pinus species, Pseudotsuga menziesii, Larix and Eucalyptus.[3] Native hosts include Muehlenbeckia australis.[7]
Population decline and recovery
A longitudinal study from 1974 to 2016 indicated the population of this moth declined sharply in the study area in the mid-1980s but began to recover in the late 1990s.[5] It has been hypothesised that the arrival of Vespula vulgaris in New Zealand might be the cause of the population decline.[5] It was also hypothesised that the recovery in population may have been brought about as a result of the extended emergence period of this moth which gave those moths emerging later in the season the ability to avoid predation by wasps.[5]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "Declana floccosa Walker, 1858". Landcare Research New Zealand. http://www.nzor.org.nz/names/80253916-7377-4bd8-954b-027ec7827239.
- ↑ Walker, Francis (1858). "Noctuidae" (in en). List of the Specimens of Lepidopterous Insects in the Collection of the British Museum 15: 1521–1888. https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/39337662.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Declana floccosa, forest semilooper". New Zealand Farm Forestry Association. http://www.nzffa.org.nz/farm-forestry-model/the-essentials/forest-health-pests-and-diseases/Pests/Declana-floccosa.
- ↑ Hudson, George Vernon (1888). "On the varieties of a common moth (Declana floccosa)" (in en). Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute 21: 190–193. https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/3290345#page/232/mode/1up.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 , Wikidata Q105348997
- ↑ "PlantSynz - Invertebrate herbivore biodiversity assessment tool: Database". https://plant-synz.landcareresearch.co.nz/ReportForm.aspx?RecordId=1279&Type=H&ReportType=Adv&SortBy=Alpha&Biostatus=a,c,e,n.
- ↑ Patrick, Brian (18 May 2016). "Ecological importance of Muehlenbeckia australis/Pohuehue" (in en-NZ). http://www.openspace.org.nz/Site/Managing_your_covenant/Restoration_information/Ecological_importance_of_Muehlenbeckia_australis.aspx.
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Declana floccosa. |
- Citizen science observations of D. floccosa.
- Specimens held at the Auckland Museum.
- Image of Declana floccosa Walker, 1858; holotype of Declana callista Salmon, 1946 held at Te Papa Tongarewa Museum of New Zealand.
Wikidata ☰ Q5249401 entry
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