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
"An interesting and peculiar genus, apparently most allied to some
Australian forms of _Spilosoma_, but quite distinct. Three species have
been discovered, two of them quite recently, and it is not unreasonable to
hope that additional forms may hereafter be found amongst the mountains, to
which they seem especially attached."--(Meyrick).
METACRIAS STRATEGICA, Hdsn.
(_Arctia strategica_, Hdsn., Entom., 1889, 53. _Metacrias strategica_,
Meyr., Trans. N. Z. Inst. xxii. 216.)
(Plate IV., fig. 4.)
This handsome species is at present only known by a single specimen,
captured by Mr. W. W. Smith, near the summit of the Richardson Range, in
South Canterbury, at an elevation of about 3,000 feet.
The expansion of the wings of the male is 1½ inches. _The fore-wings are
black, with two broad, dull yellow, longitudinal streaks_; between the
costa and the first streak is a very fine yellowish line, and between the
two streaks there are three similar lines. _The hind-wings are bright
yellow, with a broad black band, parallel to the termen, interrupted just
before the tornus; the vicinity of this black band is tinged with
crimson._ The body is black; the top of the head, collar, and sides of
the thorax and abdomen are dull yellow. The female is probably apterous.
This species may be readily distinguished from the two following by the
yellow collar, absence of any large spot in the centre of both fore-wings
and hind-wings, and the red colouring of the termen of the hind-wings. The
moth was taken in February, frequenting a species of _Carmichælia_. It may
be looked for in the mountainous regions of South Canterbury, but at
present nothing further is known of its habits.
METACRIAS ERICHRYSA, Meyr.
(_Metacrias erichrysa_, Meyr., Proc. Linn. Soc. N. S. W., 1886, 749; ditto,
Trans. N. Z. Inst. xxii. 216.)
(Plate IV., fig. 5.)
This species was discovered by Mr. Meyrick on Mount Arthur in the Nelson
District in 1886. Since that time I have taken eleven specimens in the same
locality, and have seen several others, but as yet I have not heard of its
occurrence elsewhere.
The expansion of the wings is 1½ inches. _The fore-wings are black, with
orange-yellow markings._ These consist of a fine line near the costa,
becoming very broad near the base, several elongate markings between the
veins near the middle, a series of spots near the termen, and a broad
streak parallel to the dorsum. The hind-wings are orange-yellow, with a
curved black spot in the middle, and a broad black band on the termen,
ending considerably before the tornus, and nearly broken a little before
its termination. The female, according to Mr. Meyrick,[8] is "wholly
whitish-ochreous; wings minute, aborted; legs short, stout, well
developed."
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