Pyrgotis transfixa is a species of moth of the family Tortricidae. It is endemic to New Zealand. It is classified as "At Risk, Naturally Uncommon" by the Department of Conservation.
Pyrgotis transfixa | |
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Scientific classification ![]() | |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Class: | Insecta |
Order: | Lepidoptera |
Family: | Tortricidae |
Genus: | Pyrgotis |
Species: | P. transfixa |
Binomial name | |
Pyrgotis transfixa (Meyrick, 1924)[1] | |
Synonyms[2] | |
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This species was first described by Edward Meyrick from a specimen collected by George Hudson at Gollan's Valley, Wellington in December.[2][3] Meyrick named the species Catamacta transfixa.[3] George Hudson described and illustrated this species under that name in his 1928 book The Butterflies and Moths of New Zealand.[4] In 1971 John S. Dugdale placed this species within the genus Pyrgotis.[5] The holotype specimen of this species is held at the Natural History Museum, London.[6]
Meyrick described this species as follows:
♂︎. 15 mm. Head and thorax dark purplish-fuscous mixed with dark red-brown. Palpi dark fuscous. Antennal ciliations 1. Forewings suboblong, costa anteriorly gently arched, with rather broad fold from base to beyond 1⁄3, termen sinuate, oblique ; ferruginous-brown suffusedly reticulated with glistening greyish-violet; a narrow suffused ochreous-whitish median streak from base to termen, similar streaks on veins 6 and 7, on vein 3, and space between this and tornus suffusedly irrorated ochreous-whitish : cilia ferruginous-brown mixed whitish, tips whitish, at apex a violet-grey bar. Hindwings pale grey, very faintly ; mottled ; cilia whitish.[3]
This species is endemic to New Zealand.[1][7] This species is only known from Wellington.[6] Specimens have been obtained in the Ōrongorongo Valley.[6]
Very little is known of the biology of this species.[6] The adult moths are on the wing in December.[4] They are attracted to light.[6]
This species prefers forest habitat.[4] The host species and larvae of this moth are at present unknown.[6]
This species has been classified as having the "At Risk, Naturally Uncommon" conservation status under the New Zealand Threat Classification System.[8]
Media related to Pyrgotis transfixa at Wikimedia Commons
Taxon identifiers | |
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Pyrgotis transfixa | |
Catamacta transfixa |
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