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Tingena honesta is a species of moth in the family Oecophoridae.[2] It is endemic to New Zealand and can be found in the South Island.

Tingena honesta
Male holotype
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Oecophoridae
Genus:	Tingena
Species:	T. honesta
Binomial name
Tingena honesta (Philpott, 1929)[1]
Synonyms[2]
Borkhausenia honesta Philpott, 1929

Taxonomy

This species was first described by Alfred Philpott using specimens collected at Lake Tekapo and Lake Pukaki in December and named Borkhausenia honesta.[3] In 1939 George Hudson discussed and illustrated this species in his book A supplement to the butterflies and moths of New Zealand using the same name.[4] In 1988 J. S. Dugdale placed this species in the genus Tingena.[2] The male holotype specimen is held at the New Zealand Arthropod Collection.[2]

Description

Philpott described this species as follows:

♂. 16–19 mm. Head and thorax grey. Palpi fuscous; terminal segment mixed with ochreous. Antennae fuscous, ciliations in ♂ 1¼. Abdomen grey. Legs ochreous, anterior pair fuscous with tarsi obscurely annulated with ochreous. Forewings moderate, costa moderately arched, apex round-pointed, termen very oblique; grey, strongly suffused with white in disc; markings blackish-fuscous; an obscure median blotch near base; 1st discal and plical round, plical obliquely before 1st discal; 2nd discal white-centred, open beneath; a thin subterminal line, deeply indented beneath costa; some blackish scales above tornus and round termen; fringes grey with some blackish scales. Hindwings fuscous-grey; fringes grey with two obscure darker lines.[3]

This species is similar in appearance to T. ancogramma but is paler.[3]

Distribution

This species is endemic to New Zealand and has been observed in the South Island.[1]

Behaviour

The adult moths are on the wing in December.[4]

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Tingena honesta.

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