''Sarisa'' is a

monotypic In biology, a monotypic taxon is a taxonomic group (taxon) that contains only one immediately subordinate taxon. A monotypic species is one that does not include subspecies or smaller, infraspecific taxa. In the case of genera, the term "unispec ...

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 ...

genus in the family Geometridae and was first described by David Stephen Fletcher in 1979. The genus contains only one species, ''Sarisa muriferata'', the hook-tip fern looper, which 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 surrounding islands. This species was described by Francis Walker in 1862. It is widespread in the North and South Islands, and has been recorded from Stewart Island, Big South Cape Island, the Chatham Islands and the Auckland Islands.

Taxonomy

The genus Sarisa was first described by Fletcher in 1979. ''Sarisa'' is a replacement name for the genus ''Gargaphia'', Walker 1863 which was preoccupied by ''Gargaphia'', Stål, 1862. The only species in this genus, ''S. muriferata'', was originally described by Francis Walker in 1863 and named ''Gargaphia muriferata''. The female

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 ...

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

Full-grown larvae are approximately 30 mm long, are thin and coloured a reddish brown with an interrupted black dorsal line containing five oblong yellowish-brown spots. Adults have functional mouthparts and are attracted to nectar sources.

Distribution

This species is endemic to New Zealand and its surrounding islands.

Behaviour

The larvae are active in summer and autumn. They hide during the day in leaf litter and are active at night feeding on host plants. If disturbed a larva will fall to the ground and will then attempt to bury itself in the leaf litter. This type of evasive behaviour is also seen in adults of the species. The moth will drop to the ground when disturbed or attacked, with wings held motionless. The shape and colouring of the wings contribute to a most effective ''dead leaf''

crypsis In ecology, crypsis is the ability of an animal or a plant to avoid observation or detection by other animals. It may be a predation strategy or an antipredator adaptation. Methods include camouflage, nocturnality, subterranean lifestyle and ...

. The species overwinters in the pupal stage. The adult moth can be found on the wing all year round. There are probably two generations per year in the North and South Islands, with adults recorded from September to March. At the southern limit of its range there is probably one generation per year, flying during January and February.

Host species

The larvae have been recorded feeding on ''

Microsorum pustulatum ''Zealandia pustulata'' is a species of fern native to eastern Australia and New Zealand. It is commonly referred to as kangaroo fern because of its mature leaves tend to resemble the shape of a kangaroo foot. It is also referred to as hound's to ...

'' and ''

Dicksonia fibrosa ''Dicksonia fibrosa'', the golden tree fern, whekī-ponga or kuripaka (in Māori) is a species of medium-sized tree fern native to New Zealand. ''D. fibrosa'' has a thick, soft and fibrous rusty brown trunk. It holds on to its dead leaves produ ...

''. They have also been observed feeding on the leaves and sori of ''

Pyrrosia eleagnifolia ''Pyrrosia eleagnifolia'', commonly known as the leather-leaf fern, or ota in Māori, is a climbing fern endemic to New Zealand. ''P. eleagnifolia'' has thick, fleshy rounded leaves, and grows both on the ground and as an epiphyte. Name T ...

''.

References

Lithinini Moths of New Zealand Endemic fauna of New Zealand Taxa named by Francis Walker (entomologist) Moths described in 1863 Monotypic moth genera Endemic moths of New Zealand {{Ennominae-stub