Austrocidaria similata
Austrocidaria similata is a species of moth of the family Geometridae. It is endemic to New Zealand and is found throughout the country including on off shore and sub Antarctic Islands. This species inhabits native forest and shrubland. Eggs are while in appearance and oval in shape and take approximately three weeks to mature. Larvae mimic the appearance of a moss covered twig and feed on Coprosma species. It has been hypothesised that this species overwinters as larvae. The larvae pupate on the ground with the pupa being enclosed in a thin cocoon made up of silk and refuse. Adults are on the wing all year but are most commonly observed from October until March. Adults are nocturnal and are attracted to light. During the day they can be observed resting on tree trunks where its forewing colouration provides camouflage protection from predators.
Taxonomy
It was first described by Francis Walker in 1862 using a specimen obtained by William Colenso collected either in Hawkes Bay or Taupō and named Cidaria similata. In 1875 thinking they were describing a new species Felder & Rogenhofer named this species Cidaria timarata. This name was synonymised by Edward Meyrick in 1883. George Hudson discussed and illustrated this species in both his 1898 and 1928 publications under the name Hydriomena similata. In 1939 L. B. Prout discussed this species under the name Euphyia nigrofasciata as an aberration of Eyphyia similata. John S. Dugdale synonymised this name with A. similata in his 1988 publication. In 1964 John S. Dugdale, following Hudson, used the name Hydriomena similata when discussing and illustrating this species. In 1971 Dugdale subsequently placed this species within the genus Austrocidaria. The male holotype specimen is held at the Natural History Museum, London.Description
The eggs of this species are coloured white and are oval in shape. They mature over the space of approximately three weeks.Hudson described the larvae of this species as follows:
Hudson goes on to explain that the larvae resembles a small twig covered in moss thus making it hard to detect on its food plant. Hudson also believed that this species over winters in its larval state.
Hudson describes the pupa of this species as follows:
Hudson also described the adults of this species as follows:
This species is similar in appearance to A. callichlora but can be distinguished from that species as A. similata has a purple-grey coloured mark where the forewings meet. A. similata can also be distinguished from this species as it has two white oblong shaped white patches on the bottom of its forewings near its abdomen when the wings are at rest. Hudson states that it can commonly be observed resting on moss covered tree trunks and that its colouring provides camouflage protection against predators.