Eudonia axena
Eudonia axena is a moth of the family Crambidae. It was described by Edward Meyrick in 1884. It is endemic to New Zealand.
Taxonomy
E. axena was first described by Edward Meyrick in 1884 using three specimens collected on grassy slopes at 4,500 ft at Arthur's Pass and named Scoparia axena. Meyrick gave a fuller description of the species in 1885. George Hudson discussed and illustrated the species in his 1928 book The butterflies and moths of New Zealand. John S. Dugdale placed this species in the genus Eudonia in 1988. The lectotype specimen, collected at Arthur's Pass, is held at the Natural History Museum, London.Description
The wingspan is 19–26 mm. The forewings are variable in colour, but the markings are always of the same form. They are sometimes mixed with ochreous-greenish, or partially blackish. In males, the markings are suffused with blackish towards the costa. The hindwings of the males are pale grey, while they are ochreous posteriorly in females.Hudson described this species as follows: