Anisoplaca cosmia, also known as the Norfolk Island hibiscus moth, is a species of moth in the family Gelechiidae.[1] It was described by John David Bradley in 1956 and is native to Norfolk Island but has become established in New Zealand.
| Anisoplaca cosmia | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Gelechiidae |
| Genus: | Anisoplaca |
| Species: | A. cosmia
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| Binomial name | |
| Anisoplaca cosmia | |
Taxonomy
editThis species was first described by John David Bradley in 1956 using a specimen caught while resting on a Norfolk Island Pine and named Anisoplaca cosmia.[2] The male holotype specimen is held at the Natural History Museum, London.[2][3]
Description
editThe wingspan is about 16 mm. The hindwings are light grey.[2]
This species is similar in appearance to the New Zealand species A. archyrota however can be distinguished as the labial palpus in A. cosmia is coloured fuscous-black to the top of the underside of the second segment where as in A. archyrota the labial palpus is only coloured fuscous-black for the bottom two thirds.[2]
Distribution
editThis species is native to Norfolk Island but has become established in New Zealand where it has been recorded in Auckland, Hawkes Bay and Gisborne.[4]
Hosts
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The larvae of this species feed on the fruits and shoots of Lagunaria patersonia.[3]
References
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- ^ a b Gordon, Dennis P., ed. (2010). New Zealand inventory of biodiversity: Kingdom animalia: chaetognatha, ecdysozoa, ichnofossils. Vol. 2. p. 458. ISBN 978-1-877257-93-3. OCLC 973607714. OL 25288394M. Wikidata Q45922947.
- ^ a b c d John David Bradley (1956). "Microlepidoptera from Lord Howe Island and Norfolk Island". Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History). Entomology. 4: 156–158. ISSN 0524-6431. Wikidata Q112035731.
- ^ a b John Stewart Dugdale (23 September 1988). "Lepidoptera - annotated catalogue, and keys to family-group taxa". Fauna of New Zealand. 14. Department of Scientific and Industrial Research: 80. doi:10.7931/J2/FNZ.14. ISSN 0111-5383. Wikidata Q45083134.
- ^ Bain, John (May 2004). "New Records" (PDF). Forest Health News. p. 2. Retrieved 15 May 2022.