''Wiseana'' is a genus 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 ...

s, collectively known as porina, of the

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

Hepialidae The Hepialidae are a family of insects in the lepidopteran order. Moths of this family are often referred to as swift moths or ghost moths. Taxonomy and systematics The Hepialidae constitute by far the most diverse group of the infraorder Exop ...

. There are seven described species, all

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 ...

. Some species of this genus are a major pest in New Zealand exotic pastures. It is impossible to distinguish species at the larval/caterpillar stage without DNA technology, however adult purina moth species can be visually distinguished.

Species

* '' Wiseana cervinata'' :*Recorded food plants: ''

Trifolium Clover or trefoil are common names for plants of the genus ''Trifolium'' (from Latin ''tres'' 'three' + ''folium'' 'leaf'), consisting of about 300 species of flowering plants in the legume or pea family Fabaceae originating in Europe. The genus ...

'', various grasses. * '' Wiseana copularis'' * '' Wiseana fuliginea'' * '' Wiseana jocosa'' :*

Larva A larva (; plural larvae ) is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into adults. Animals with indirect development such as insects, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase of their life cycle. ...

feeds on grasses * '' Wiseana mimica'' * '' Wiseana signata'' :*Larva feeds on grasses * '' Wiseana umbraculata'' :*Larva feeds on grasses

References

External links

Hepialidae genera
Hepialidae Moths of New Zealand Exoporia genera Taxa named by Pierre Viette {{Hepialidae-stub