- Source: Pseudocoremia albafasciata
Pseudocoremia albafasciata, also known as the flash moth, is a species of moth in the family Geometridae. It is endemic to New Zealand. It is classified as Nationally Endangered by the Department of Conservation.
Taxonomy
This species was first described by Alfred Philpott in 1915 from specimens collected in Taihape in February and Feilding in March. Philpott named the species Selidosema albafasciata. In 1917 Edward Meyrick, when listing the species, attempted to correct the spelling of the epithet to albifasciata. This spelling was itself in error. In 1988 John S. Dugdale assigned the species to the genus Pseudocoremia. He retained the original spelling of the species epithet under the ICZN Rules, Article 32a (ii) and 32c. The type specimen was collected by Augustus Hamilton and is now held at the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa.
Description
Philpott described the species as follows:
32-34 mm. Head and thorax ochreous mixed with brown. Antennae brown, annulated with ochreous, filiations rather short. Abdomen ochreous. Forewings moderate, triangular, costa subsinuate, termen evenly rounded, not strongly oblique ; dark greenish-fuscous with some admixture of yellowish ; markings white tinted with yellow and sparsely sprinkled with brown; a broad band at J slightly curved; median and second fasciae broad, coalescing at middle and enclosing a triangular blotch of ground-colour on costa ; sometimes throwing out a projection to middle of termen, thus interrupting the broad dark terminal area ; a terminal series of irregular blackish dots : cilia ochreous mixed with brown. Hind wings pale yellow sprinkled with fuscous ; a more or less interrupted brown terminal line: cilia yellow obscurely barred with brown.
Distribution
This species is endemic to New Zealand. It has been collected in Taihape, Fielding, as well as at Puketitiri, in the Hawkes Bay.
Biology and host species
The biology and host species of this moth is unknown.
Conservation status
This species has been classified under the New Zealand Threat Classification system as being Nationally Endangered.
