New Zealand Moths and Butterflies (Macro-Lepidoptera)Hudson, G. V. (George Vernon)
Science
New Zealand Moths and Butterflies (Macro-Lepidoptera)
Hudson, G. V. (George Vernon)
Lepidoptera -- New Zealand
"Face with appressed or shortly projecting scales. Tongue developed.
Antennæ in male bipectinated, towards apex simple. Palpi rough-scaled.
Thorax sometimes crested posteriorly, hairy beneath. Femora nearly
glabrous; posterior tibiæ in male dilated. Fore-wings in male with fovea;
vein 10 sometimes connected with 9, 11 sometimes out of 10 near base
only, or if separate, sometimes anastomosing with 12."--(Meyrick.) (Plate
II., figs. 59 and 60, neuration of _Selidosema dejectaria_.)
This genus is universally distributed and of considerable extent. We have
nine species in New Zealand.
SELIDOSEMA FENERATA, Feld.
(_Rhyparia fenerata_, Feld. cxxxi. 7. _Zylobara fenerata_, Butl., Cist.
Ent. ii. 498. Meyr., Trans. N. Z. Inst. xvi. 97.)
(Plate VIII., fig. 50 [M], 51 [F].)
This species is common, and generally distributed throughout the country.
The expansion of the wings is about 1½ inches. The fore-wings of the male
are _very pale_ ochreous-brown; there is a double jagged transverse line
near the base, a single jagged line a little before the middle, and a
double one a little beyond the middle; an almost continuous jagged line
near the termen. The hind-wings are very pale ochreous, almost white;
_their outline is peculiar; the dorsum is very short, the termen very
long, first oblique and then rounded with a small projection midway
between the apex and the tornus_. The female has the fore-wings pale
grey, and the hind-wings dull white; the markings resemble those of the
male, but the outline of the hind-wing is of the usual form.
This insect varies slightly in the depth of its colouring. It may be
distinguished from the allied species by the peculiar outline of the
hind-wings in the male, and by the pale grey colouring of the female.
The perfect insect appears from October till March and is very common. It
has a great liking for the faded fronds of tree-ferns, from which specimens
may often be dislodged. Both sexes are very abundant at various blossoms
during the evening, and are also attracted by light. The female is
sometimes observed in the winter months, and probably hibernates.
SELIDOSEMA RUDIATA, Walk.
(_Cidaria rudiata_, Walk. 1420. _Boarmia astrapia_, Meyr., Trans. N. Z.
Inst. xxii. 218. _Boarmia rudiata_, Meyr., Trans. N. Z. Inst. xxiii. 101.)
(Plate IX., fig. 1 [M], 2 [F].)
This species is fairly common in the neighbourhood of Wellington, and has
occurred at Dunedin, and at Stewart Island. It is probably generally
distributed throughout the country.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account