Tatosoma tipulata
Tatosoma tipulata, also known as the kāmahi green spindle, is a species of moth in the family Geometridae. It was first described by Francis Walker in 1862. It is endemic to New Zealand and occurs in the North, South and Stewart Islands. This species inhabits native bush. The larvae have been recorded as feeding on Pterophylla racemosa, Nothofagus cliffortioides and Podocarpus totara. Adult moths are most commonly observed on the wing from September until March. Adults are nocturnal and are slightly attracted to light. They have also been collected via sugar traps. During the day adults can often be observed resting, camouflaged against moss and lichens, on the trunks of trees.
Taxonomy
This species was first described by Francis Walker in 1862 and named Cidaria tipulata using a specimen collected either at Hawke's Bay or Taupō by William Colenso. Walker, thinking he was describing a new species, also named this moth Cidaria inclinataria. In 1874 Arthur Gardiner Butler placed this species, then known as Cidaria agrionata var. tipulata, in the genus Tatosoma. This species was again described by Cajetan von Felder and Alois Friedrich Rogenhofer in 1875 and named Sauris mistata. In 1927 Louis Beethoven Prout synonymised Sauris mistata with T. tipulata. George Hudson discussed and illustrated this species under the name T. tipulata in his 1928 book The butterflies and moths of New Zealand. In 1939 Hudson again discussed and illustrated this species, giving descriptions of the egg, larvae and pupa as well as more details about the life cycle of this species. In 1988 J. S. Dugdale synonymised C. inclinataria with T. tipulata. The male lectotype is held at the Natural History Museum, London.Description
Hudson described the egg of this species as follows:Hudson described the newly emerged larvae of this species as follows:
Hudson pointed out that when mature, the colouration of the larvae of this species is variable. He reared a variety of T. tipulata larvae to adulthood and confirmed their species upon the completion of each specimen's metamorphosis. The pupa is just under 1 inch in length and is thin in appearance. It is a green brown colour but is a lighter shade on the wing-cases.
Walker described the adults of this species as follows:
Hudson also described the adults of this species as follows:
T. tipulata is very similar in appearance to T. agrionata and can be confused with that species. T. tipulata can be distinguished as it has a Z-shaped basal line and lacks the conspicuous large pale patch near tornus of T. agrionata. Robert Hoare has also stated that T. agrionata has is a very distinct black V on the forewing dorsum near the base that appears to be a distinguishing feature as it is not present on T. tipulata.