''Ichneutica alopa'' is a

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 ...

of the family

Noctuidae The Noctuidae, commonly known as owlet moths, cutworms or armyworms, are a family of moths. They are considered the most controversial family in the superfamily Noctuoidea because many of the clades are constantly changing, along with the other f ...

. 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 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 ...

and is found in the central and southern parts of the North Island as well as in the South Island. It inhabits tussock grasslands and wetlands and can occur at ranges from the alpine zone down to almost sea-level. The life history of this species is unknown as are the host species of its larvae in the wild. Larvae of this species have been raised in captivity on ''

Sphagnum ''Sphagnum'' is a genus of approximately 380 accepted species of mosses, commonly known as sphagnum moss, peat moss, also bog moss and quacker moss (although that term is also sometimes used for peat). Accumulations of ''Sphagnum'' can store wa ...

'' moss as well as on species in the genus ''

Raoulia ''Raoulia'' is a genus of New Zealand plants in the tribe Gnaphalieae within the family Asteraceae. Many ''Raoulia'' species grow in alpine areas, forming very fine and dense growths. These compact growths form large amorphous cushion-like masse ...

''. Adults of this species are on the wing from late January to April and are attracted to light and to sugar traps. ''I. alope'' can be confused with ''I. agorastis'', '' I. micrastra'' or '' I. sapiens'' but the latter three species can be distinguished externally from ''I. alope'' through differences in size, forewing pattern and the antennae of the male of the species.

Taxonomy

It was described by

Edward Meyrick Edward Meyrick (25 November 1854, in Ramsbury – 31 March 1938, at Thornhanger, Marlborough) was an English schoolmaster and amateur entomologist. He was an expert on microlepidoptera and some consider him one of the founders of modern micr ...

in 1887 from specimens collected near

Lake Coleridge Lake Coleridge ( mi, Whakamatau) is located in inland Canterbury, in New Zealand's South Island. Located to the northwest of Methven, it has a surface area of . The lake is situated in an over-deepened valley formed by a glacier over 20,000 year ...

and Lake Guyon in

Canterbury Canterbury (, ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and UNESCO World Heritage Site, situated in the heart of the City of Canterbury local government district of Kent, England. It lies on the River Stour, Kent, River Stour. ...

in March. Meyrick originally named the species ''Leucania alopa''. The male

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 ...

is held at the Canterbury Museum. J. S. Dugdale discussed this species in his 1988 catalogue and placed it within the ''Tmetolophota'' genus. In 2019 Robert Hoare undertook a major review of New Zealand

. During this review the genus ''Ichneutica'' was greatly expanded and the genus ''Tmetolophota'' was subsumed into that genus as a synonym. As a result of this review, this species is now known as ''Ichneutica alopa''.

Description

Meyrick described the species as follows: Both the adult male and female of this species have wingspans of between 39 and 45 mm. ''I. alope'' can be confused with ''I. agorastis'', '' I. micrastra'' or '' I. sapiens'' but the latter species can be distinguished externally from ''I. alope'' through differences in size, forewing pattern and the antennae of the male of the species.

Distribution

It is endemic to New Zealand. This species is found in the central and southern parts of the North Island as well as in the South Island.

Habitat

This species inhabits tussock grasslands and wetlands and can occur at ranges from the alpine zone down to almost sea-level.

Behaviour

Adults of this species are on the wing from late January to April. They are attracted to light and to sugar traps.

Life history and host species

The life history of this species is unknown as are the host species of its larvae in the wild. Larvae of this species have been raised in captivity on ''

'' moss as well as on species in the genus ''

''.

References

{{Taxonbar, from1=Q104236600, from2=Q13624177 Moths described in 1887 Moths of New Zealand Hadeninae Endemic fauna of New Zealand Taxa named by Edward Meyrick Endemic moths of New Zealand