Izatha mesoschista

Species of moth

Izatha mesoschista

Scientific classification
Domain:  | Eukaryota
Kingdom:  | Animalia
Phylum:  | Arthropoda
Class:  | Insecta
Order:  | Lepidoptera
Family:  | Oecophoridae
Genus:  | Izatha
Species:  |

I. mesoschista

Binomial name
Izatha mesoschista

Meyrick, 1931

Izatha mesoschista is a moth of the family Oecophoridae. It is endemic to New Zealand.

## Taxonomy

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This species was described by Edward Meyrick in 1931[1] using seven specimens collected by George Hudson in Wellington during the months of December and January.[2] Hudson discussed and illustrated the species in his 1928 work The butterflies and moths of New Zealand under the name Izatha balanophora[3] but later corrected his taxonomic error in 1939.[4]

## Description

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The larva of this species has not been described.[5]

The adult moth has a wingspan of 15.5–21 mm for males and 17–25 mm for females.[5] Adults are on wing from October to February.[5]

The appearance of the adult moths of this species is variable and as a result it was originally confused with Izatha balanophora.[5] However it can be distinguished from this species as I. mesoschista has a bold black line in the middle of the disk on its forewings.[2] This line also assists in distinguishing I. mesoschista from Izatha epiphanes.[5] Other than using their collection location as a guide, it is difficult to distinguish between I. mesoschista and Izatha haumu.[6] I. haumu is found at the top of the North Island and I. mesochista is present south of this locality, over the rest of the North Island.[7] However a male I. mesoschista can be distinguished from both I. haumu and I. epiphanes by the species characteristic three pronged tip of its genitalia.[5]

## Distribution

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I. mesoschista is endemic to New Zealand.[8][9] This species has been found throughout the North Island, except the Aupouri Peninsula, Hawkes Bay or the Wairarapa.[5] It is regarded as one of the most common and widespread species in the genus Izatha to be found in the North Island.[5]

## Host plants

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Coriaria arborea

Specimens have been reared from Populus species, presumably from the dead wood, and also from pine logs.[5] Larvae of this species have also been extracted or reared from Coriaria arborea and Coprosma species.[7]

## Trapping techniques

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This species is readily attracted to light.[5]

## References

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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Izatha mesoschista.

Wikispecies has information related to Izatha mesoschista.

1. ^ Dugdale, J. S. (1988). "Lepidoptera - annotated catalogue, and keys to family-group taxa" (PDF). Fauna of New Zealand. 14: 1–123. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 January 2019. Retrieved 27 April 2018.
2. ^ a b Meyrick, Edward (1931). "New Species of New Zealand Lepidoptera". Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute. 62: 92–97.
3. ^ Hudson, George Vernon (1928). The butterflies and moths of New Zealand. Wellington: Ferguson & Osborn Ltd. p. 279\. Archived from the original on 16 January 2018. Retrieved 27 April 2018.
4. ^ Hudson, George Vernon (1939). A supplement to the butterflies and moths of New Zealand. Wellington: Ferguson & Osborn Ltd. p. 448\. Archived from the original on 28 April 2018. Retrieved 27 April 2018.
5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Hoare, R. J. B. (2 September 2010). "Izatha (Insecta: Lepidoptera: Gelechioidea: Oecophoridae)" (PDF). Fauna of New Zealand. 65: 1–201. Archived from the original (PDF) on 31 January 2018. Retrieved 27 April 2018.
6. ^ Bennik, Rebecca M.; Buckley, Thomas R.; Hoare, Robert J. B.; Holwell, Gregory I. (4 November 2015). "Molecular phylogeny reveals the repeated evolution of complex male genital traits in the New Zealand moth genusIzatha(Lepidoptera: Xyloryctidae)". Systematic Entomology. 41 (2): 309–322. doi:10.1111/syen.12155. ISSN 0307-6970. S2CID 83666096.
7. ^ a b Bennik, Rebecca Marie (2014). Sexual conflict and genital evolution in moths (PDF) (Thesis). University of Auckland. Retrieved 28 April 2018.
8. ^ Gordon, Dennis P., ed. (2010). New Zealand inventory of biodiversity: Kingdom animalia: chaetognatha, ecdysozoa, ichnofossils. Vol. 2\. p. 465\. ISBN 978-1-877257-93-3. OCLC 973607714. OL 25288394M. Wikidata Q45922947.
9. ^ "Izatha mesoschista Meyrick, 1931". www.nzor.org.nz. Landcare Research New Zealand Ltd. Retrieved 27 April 2018.

Taxon identifiers

Izatha mesoschista|

* Wikidata: Q10766924
* Wikispecies: Izatha mesoschista
* BOLD: 791788
* CoL: 3QHSS
* EoL: 940939
* GBIF: 1838649
* iNaturalist: 391114
* IRMNG: 10259282
* LepIndex: 109365
* NCBI: 1708114
* NZOR: 55ced92f-14d8-4fcd-a460-ede8990a0069
* Open Tree of Life: 3228781
* Plazi: E0EDD317-384F-0ED6-D690-38F8DFBC9463
* ZooBank: F8DA1BCA-4A17-4F39-9616-A28F5368B5B7

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