Pasiphila fumipalpata

Pasiphila fumipalpata is a moth of the family Geometridae. This species was first described by Baron Cajetan von Felder and Alois Friedrich Rogenhofer in 1875. It is endemic to New Zealand and has been observed on both the North and South Islands. However this species is regarded as rare. P. fulmipalpata inhabits native bush and adults are on the wing from December until February. They are attracted to light.

Taxonomy

This species was first described by Baron Cajetan von Felder and Alois Friedrich Rogenhofer in 1875 and originally named Eupithecia fumipalpata. In 1898 George Hudson, thinking he was describing a new species, named this moth Chloroclystis maculata. This name was synonymised with Chloroclystis fumipalpata by Alfred Philpott in 1926. Hudson accepted this synonymisation and discussed and illustrated this species under the name Chloroclystis fumipalpata in his 1928 book The butterflies and moths of New Zealand. In 1971 John S. Dugdale placed this species back in the genus Pasiphila. The female holotype, collected by T. R. Oxley in Nelson, is held at the Natural History Museum, London.

Description

George Hudson described the adults of this species as follows:

Distribution

This species is endemic to New Zealand. It is located in both the North and South Islands but is regarded as being relatively rare.

Habitat and hosts

This species inhabits native forest.

Behaviour

Adults are on the wing from December until February and are attracted to light.