''Bascantis'' is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...

moth Moths are a paraphyletic group of insects that includes all members of the order Lepidoptera that are not butterflies, with moths making up the vast majority of the order. There are thought to be approximately 160,000 species of moth, many of w ...

s belonging to the

family Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...

Tineidae. It contains only one species, ''Bascantis sirenica'', that is

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsew ...

New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...

. This species is classified as "Data Deficient" by the

Department of Conservation An environmental ministry is a national or subnational government agency politically responsible for the environment and/or natural resources. Various other names are commonly used to identify such agencies, such as Ministry of the Environment ...

Taxonomy

This species was described by Edward Meyrick in 1914 using a specimen collected by George Hudson at Kaeo in January. Hudson discussed and illustrated this species both in his 1928 book ''The Butterflies and Moths of New Zealand'' as well as his 1950 publication ''Fragments of New Zealand entomology''. The

holotype A holotype is a single physical example (or illustration) of an organism, known to have been used when the species (or lower-ranked taxon) was formally described. It is either the single such physical example (or illustration) or one of several ...

specimen is held at the

Natural History Museum, London The Natural History Museum in London is a museum that exhibits a vast range of specimens from various segments of natural history. It is one of three major museums on Exhibition Road in South Kensington, the others being the Science Museum an ...

Description

Meyrick described the species as follows:

Distribution

This species is endemic to New Zealand. Along with the type locality of Kaeo, this species has also been collected in Waitākere Ranges,

Days Bay Days Bay is a residential area in Lower Hutt in the Wellington Region of the North Island of New Zealand. It is walled on three sides by steep bush-clad slopes. Most of its level land is occupied by Williams Park and an independent boys' prima ...

, and Wainuiomata. It was last seen in 1950.

Biology and behaviour

The adult moth is on the wing in January. It is a day flying moth. It has been hypothesised that this moth mimics the appearance of the beetle '' Zorion guttigerum''.

Host species and habitat

This species has been collected by sweeping in dense forest.

Conservation status

This moth is classified under the

New Zealand Threat Classification system The New Zealand Threat Classification System is used by the Department of Conservation to assess conservation priorities of species in New Zealand. The system was developed because the IUCN Red List, a similar conservation status system, had some ...

as being Data Deficient.

References

External links

Image of species
{{Taxonbar, from1=Q18096563, from2=Q4866316 Tineidae Monotypic moth genera Moths of New Zealand Endemic fauna of New Zealand Taxa named by Edward Meyrick Tineidae genera Endemic moths of New Zealand