''Declana griseata'' is a species of

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 ...

in the family

Geometridae The geometer moths are moths belonging to the family Geometridae of the insect order Lepidoptera, the moths and butterflies. Their scientific name derives from the Ancient Greek ''geo'' γεω (derivative form of or "the earth"), and ''metro ...

. It 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 else ...

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 "At Risk, Declining" 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

''Declana griseata'' was first described and illustrated by George Vernon Hudson in 1898. Hudson further discussed and illustrated the species both in his 1928 and 1939 publications. The

lectotype In biology, a type is a particular specimen (or in some cases a group of specimens) of an organism to which the scientific name of that organism is formally attached. In other words, a type is an example that serves to anchor or centralizes the ...

specimen is held at the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa.

Description

Hudson gave a description and illustration of the larvae of this species in his 1939 publication. In appearance the larvae are extremely variable but it is able to mimic the appearance of a twig on its host plant. The pupa are enclosed in a cocoon made of moss and plant detritus and can be found on the ground. Hudson described the adult moth as follows:

Distribution

''Declana griseata'' is endemic to New Zealand. This species range is from the Bay of Plenty/Taupo to Southland. However it is likely locally extinct in some North Island localities. ''D. griseata'' has been recorded as being collected in

Wellington Wellington ( mi, Te Whanganui-a-Tara or ) is the capital city of New Zealand. It is located at the south-western tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Remutaka Range. Wellington is the second-largest city in New Zealand by metr ...

, Top house at Lake Rotoiti,

Mount Hutt Mount Hutt ( mi, Opuke) rises to the west of the Canterbury Plains in the South Island of New Zealand, above the braided upper reaches of the Rakaia River, and 80 kilometres west of Christchurch. Its summit is 2190 metres above sea level. The Ne ...

, Castle Hill, Cave Creek in Paparoa National Park,

Arthurs Pass Arthur's Pass, previously called Camping Flat then Bealey Flats, and for some time officially Arthurs Pass, is a township in the Southern Alps of the South Island of New Zealand, located in the Selwyn district. It is a popular base for explori ...

, Waiho Gorge in

Westland Westland or Westlands may refer to: Places *Westlands, an affluent neighbourhood in the city of Nairobi, Kenya * Westlands, Staffordshire, a suburban area and ward in Newcastle-under-Lyme *Westland, a peninsula of the Shetland Mainland near Vaila ...

Dunedin Dunedin ( ; mi, Ōtepoti) is the second-largest city in the South Island of New Zealand (after Christchurch), and the principal city of the Otago region. Its name comes from , the Scottish Gaelic name for Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. Th ...

Ben Lomond Ben Lomond (Scottish Gaelic: Beinn Laomainn, 'Beacon Mountain'), , is a mountain in the Scottish Highlands. Situated on the eastern shore of Loch Lomond, it is the most southerly of the Munros. Ben Lomond lies within the Ben Lomond National Me ...

Lake Wakatipu Lake Wakatipu ( mi, Whakatipu Waimāori) is an inland lake ( finger lake) in the South Island of New Zealand. It is in the southwest corner of the Otago region, near its boundary with Southland. ''Lake Wakatipu'' comes from the original Māori n ...

Takitimu Mountains The Takitimu Mountains extend in a north–south direction southeast of Te Anau and Manapouri. The mountain range is about long and contains several peaks of around height, with the Brunel Peaks reaching . In Māori people mythology, the mou ...

Southland Southland may refer to: Places Canada * Dunbar–Southlands, Vancouver, British Columbia New Zealand * Southland Region, a region of New Zealand * Southland County, a former New Zealand county * Southland District, part of the wider Southland Re ...

Invercargill Invercargill ( , mi, Waihōpai is the southernmost and westernmost city in New Zealand, and one of the southernmost cities in the world. It is the commercial centre of the Southland region. The city lies in the heart of the wide expanse of t ...

and Orepuki.

Biology and behaviour

The larvae of ''D. griseata'' are present in December and January. The adult moths emerge from February. This species can be found on the wing from September until May and is attracted to light. Adults rest on mossy tree trunks in the vicinity of their host plants.

Host species

The host species of this moth are leafy mistletoes, including '' Peraxilla colensoi''.

Conservation status

This moth is classified under the New Zealand Threat Classification system as being "At Risk, Declining". It was regarded by Hudson as being a scarce species even when first described. The survival of this moth is dependent on the survival of its host plants.

References

External links

Image of lectotype specimen
{{Taxonbar, from=Q13552259 Moths of New Zealand Moths described in 1898 Endemic fauna of New Zealand Ennominae Taxa named by George Hudson Endangered biota of New Zealand Endemic moths of New Zealand