Ichneutica sulcana, the dark underwing wainscot, is a moth of the family Noctuidae.[1] It is endemic to New Zealand and can be found throughout the North, South and Stewart Islands at a range of altitudes from the lowlands to the alpine zone. This species prefers to live in native grass, shrub and wetland habitats as well as in native forest. The larval host plants of this species are forest grasses and sedges and larvae have been reared on Microlaena avenacea and species within the genus Carex. The larva pupates in the soil. Adults are on the wing from December to May but have also been recorded in August and September in the northern parts of the North Island. They are attracted to sugar traps as well as to light. I. sulcana and I. supersulcana are very similar in appearance but can be distinguished as there are differences in the male abdomen and genitalia of the two species. Also these two species do not appear to share a range as I. supersulcana seems to prefer to live at higher altitudes than I. sulcana. I. sulcana might also be confused with I. semivittata but I. sulcana is a larger species with a much darker abdomen and hindwing, and has only 1 to 3 dots on the forewing postmedian line.
This species was described by Richard William Fereday in 1880 and originally named Leucania sulcana.[2] The female lectotype was collected Rowe's Bush in Akaroa by Fereday and is held at the Canterbury Museum.[3] In 1988 J. S. Dugdale placed this species within the Tmetolophota genus.[3] In 2019 Robert Hoare undertook a major review of New Zealand Noctuidae. During this review the genus Ichneutica was greatly expanded and the genus Tmetolophota was subsumed into that genus as a synonym. As a result of this review, this species is now known as Ichneutica sulcana.[4]
Descriptionedit
Eggs of this species are hemispherical in shape and green in colour with a honeycomb on the surface.[5]
Illustration of larva of I. sulcana.
George Hudson described the larva of this species as follows:
The full grown larva is about 1+3⁄4 inch in length, much attenuated posteriorly, pale reddish-ochreous, with numerous fine wavy darker lines; the subdorsal and lateral lines are straight and much more conspicuous; the spiracles are black, and there is a dark olive-green line down the midback.[6]
Observation of live I. sulcana
George Hudson described the adults of I. sulcana as follows:
The expansion of the wings is from 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 inches. The fore-wings are light ochreous with the veins white; there is a shaded, brownish, longitudinal streak near the apex, another from the end of the cell to the termen, a stronger streak from the base of the wing to near the tornus, and another along the dorsum; there is a minute black dot near the base above the middle, a slightly larger dot at about one-third, a conspicuous dot between the origins of veins 3 and 4, and a very minute dot on vein 6. Hind-wings dark blackish-grey, cilia paler.[7]
The wingspan of the adult male of this species is between 35 and 46 mm and for the female is between 42 and 48 mm.[4] Specimens from the northern North Island can be smaller and have more pronounced shading on the forewing.[4]
I. sulcana and I. supersulcana are very similar in appearance with no reliable visible differences between the two having been discovered.[4] However I. supersulcana tends to be larger and paler with less well defined longitudinal dark streaks to its forewings.[4] There are distinct differences in the male abdomen and genitalia of these two species.[4] As at 2019 the two species have not been discovered to share a range as I. supersulcana appears restricted to the higher altitudes of the Tararua Range and Tongariro National Park.[4]I. sulcana might also be confused with I. semivittata but I. sulcana is a larger species with a much darker abdomen and hindwing, and has only 1 to 3 dots on the forewing postmedian line.[4]
When at rest amongst grass this species is well camouflaged.[5]
Distributionedit
This species is endemic to New Zealand.[8]I. sulcana are fairly common and are found throughout the North, South and Stewart Islands at a range of altitudes from the lowlands to the alpine zone.[9][4] This species is said to be more common in the North Island.[5]
Habitatedit
I. sulcana prefers to live in native grass, shrub and wetland habitats as well as in native forest.[9]
Behaviouredit
Adults of this species are on the wing from December to May but have been recorded as on the wing in August and September in the northern parts of the North Island.[4] Adults are attracted to sugar traps as well as to light.[6][5]
Life cycleedit
I. sulcana larvae have been reared on Microlaena avenacea
The egg catches after about a week to a bright green larva.[5] After feeding for a period, hibernates during winter during winter and is fully grown in spring.[5] The larva pupates in a space just beneath the surface of the soil.[5][6] The pupa is coloured brown and the adult moth emerges after a few weeks.[5]
^"Description of a (?) new Species of the Family Leucanidae, and a (?) new Species of the Genus (?) Chlenias". Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute. 12: 267–270. 1880. ISSN 1176-6158. Wikidata Q104373652.
^ abcdefghijkRobert J. B. Hoare (9 December 2019). (PDF). Fauna of New Zealand. 80. Illustrator: Birgit E. Rhode: 1–455. doi:10.7931/J2/FNZ.80. ISSN 0111-5383. Wikidata Q94481265. Archived from the original (PDF) on 18 April 2021.
^ abcdefghiDavid Edward Gaskin (1966). "The butterflies and common moths of New Zealand". New Zealand: 103–104. Wikidata Q115000559.
^ abcHudson, G. V. (1928). The Butterflies and Moths of New Zealand. Wellington: Ferguson & Osborn Ltd. p. 54. OCLC 25449322.
^George Vernon Hudson (1898), New Zealand moths and butterflies (Macro-lepidoptera), Illustrator: George Hudson, London, p. 13, doi:10.5962/BHL.TITLE.7912, OCLC 980865393, Wikidata Q19073637{{citation}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
^ abRobert J. B. Hoare (2014). A Photographic Guide to Moths & Butterflies of New Zealand. Illustrator: Olivier Jean-Philippe Ball. p. 130. ISBN978-1-86966-399-5. Wikidata Q59396160.
^George Vernon Hudson (1939), A supplement to the butterflies and moths of New Zealand, Illustrator: George Hudson, Wellington: Ferguson and Osborn Limited, p. 393, OCLC 9742724, Wikidata Q109420935
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain: New Zealand moths and butterflies (Macro-lepidoptera), by George Vernon Hudson (1898)
January 01, 1970
ichneutica, sulcana, dark, underwing, wainscot, moth, family, noctuidae, endemic, zealand, found, throughout, north, south, stewart, islands, range, altitudes, from, lowlands, alpine, zone, this, species, prefers, live, native, grass, shrub, wetland, habitats,. Ichneutica sulcana the dark underwing wainscot is a moth of the family Noctuidae 1 It is endemic to New Zealand and can be found throughout the North South and Stewart Islands at a range of altitudes from the lowlands to the alpine zone This species prefers to live in native grass shrub and wetland habitats as well as in native forest The larval host plants of this species are forest grasses and sedges and larvae have been reared on Microlaena avenacea and species within the genus Carex The larva pupates in the soil Adults are on the wing from December to May but have also been recorded in August and September in the northern parts of the North Island They are attracted to sugar traps as well as to light I sulcana and I supersulcana are very similar in appearance but can be distinguished as there are differences in the male abdomen and genitalia of the two species Also these two species do not appear to share a range as I supersulcana seems to prefer to live at higher altitudes than I sulcana I sulcana might also be confused with I semivittata but I sulcana is a larger species with a much darker abdomen and hindwing and has only 1 to 3 dots on the forewing postmedian line Ichneutica sulcana Female Male Scientific classification Domain Eukaryota Kingdom Animalia Phylum Arthropoda Class Insecta Order Lepidoptera Superfamily Noctuoidea Family Noctuidae Genus Ichneutica Species I sulcana Binomial name Ichneutica sulcana Fereday 1880 1 Synonyms Leucania sulcana Fereday 1880Tmetolophota sulcana Fereday 1880 Contents 1 Taxonomy 2 Description 3 Distribution 4 Habitat 5 Behaviour 6 Life cycle 7 Host species 8 ReferencesTaxonomy editThis species was described by Richard William Fereday in 1880 and originally named Leucania sulcana 2 The female lectotype was collected Rowe s Bush in Akaroa by Fereday and is held at the Canterbury Museum 3 In 1988 J S Dugdale placed this species within the Tmetolophota genus 3 In 2019 Robert Hoare undertook a major review of New Zealand Noctuidae During this review the genus Ichneutica was greatly expanded and the genus Tmetolophota was subsumed into that genus as a synonym As a result of this review this species is now known as Ichneutica sulcana 4 Description editEggs of this species are hemispherical in shape and green in colour with a honeycomb on the surface 5 nbsp Illustration of larva of I sulcana George Hudson described the larva of this species as follows The full grown larva is about 1 3 4 inch in length much attenuated posteriorly pale reddish ochreous with numerous fine wavy darker lines the subdorsal and lateral lines are straight and much more conspicuous the spiracles are black and there is a dark olive green line down the midback 6 nbsp Observation of live I sulcana George Hudson described the adults of I sulcana as follows The expansion of the wings is from 1 1 2 to 1 3 4 inches The fore wings are light ochreous with the veins white there is a shaded brownish longitudinal streak near the apex another from the end of the cell to the termen a stronger streak from the base of the wing to near the tornus and another along the dorsum there is a minute black dot near the base above the middle a slightly larger dot at about one third a conspicuous dot between the origins of veins 3 and 4 and a very minute dot on vein 6 Hind wings dark blackish grey cilia paler 7 The wingspan of the adult male of this species is between 35 and 46 mm and for the female is between 42 and 48 mm 4 Specimens from the northern North Island can be smaller and have more pronounced shading on the forewing 4 I sulcana and I supersulcana are very similar in appearance with no reliable visible differences between the two having been discovered 4 However I supersulcana tends to be larger and paler with less well defined longitudinal dark streaks to its forewings 4 There are distinct differences in the male abdomen and genitalia of these two species 4 As at 2019 the two species have not been discovered to share a range as I supersulcana appears restricted to the higher altitudes of the Tararua Range and Tongariro National Park 4 I sulcana might also be confused with I semivittata but I sulcana is a larger species with a much darker abdomen and hindwing and has only 1 to 3 dots on the forewing postmedian line 4 When at rest amongst grass this species is well camouflaged 5 Distribution editThis species is endemic to New Zealand 8 I sulcana are fairly common and are found throughout the North South and Stewart Islands at a range of altitudes from the lowlands to the alpine zone 9 4 This species is said to be more common in the North Island 5 Habitat editI sulcana prefers to live in native grass shrub and wetland habitats as well as in native forest 9 Behaviour editAdults of this species are on the wing from December to May but have been recorded as on the wing in August and September in the northern parts of the North Island 4 Adults are attracted to sugar traps as well as to light 6 5 Life cycle edit nbsp I sulcana larvae have been reared on Microlaena avenacea The egg catches after about a week to a bright green larva 5 After feeding for a period hibernates during winter during winter and is fully grown in spring 5 The larva pupates in a space just beneath the surface of the soil 5 6 The pupa is coloured brown and the adult moth emerges after a few weeks 5 Host species editThe larval host plants of I sulcana include Gahnia setifolia 10 Melicytus ramiflorus 5 and Microlaena avenacea as well as forest grasses and sedges and species within the genus Carex 4 References edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ichneutica sulcana a b Ichneutica sulcana Fereday 1880 www nzor org nz 2021 Retrieved 2021 08 08 Description of a new Species of the Family Leucanidae and a new Species of the Genus Chlenias Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute 12 267 270 1880 ISSN 1176 6158 Wikidata Q104373652 a b John Stewart Dugdale 23 September 1988 Lepidoptera annotated catalogue and keys to family group taxa Fauna of New Zealand 14 Department of Scientific and Industrial Research 210 doi 10 7931 J2 FNZ 14 ISSN 0111 5383 Wikidata Q45083134 a b c d e f g h i j k Robert J B Hoare 9 December 2019 Noctuinae Insecta Lepidoptera Noctuidae part 2 Nivetica Ichneutica PDF Fauna of New Zealand 80 Illustrator Birgit E Rhode 1 455 doi 10 7931 J2 FNZ 80 ISSN 0111 5383 Wikidata Q94481265 Archived from the original PDF on 18 April 2021 a b c d e f g h i David Edward Gaskin 1966 The butterflies and common moths of New Zealand New Zealand 103 104 Wikidata Q115000559 a b c Hudson G V 1928 The Butterflies and Moths of New Zealand Wellington Ferguson amp Osborn Ltd p 54 OCLC 25449322 George Vernon Hudson 1898 New Zealand moths and butterflies Macro lepidoptera Illustrator George Hudson London p 13 doi 10 5962 BHL TITLE 7912 OCLC 980865393 Wikidata Q19073637 a href Template Citation html title Template Citation citation a CS1 maint location missing publisher link Ichneutica sulcana Fereday 1880 nztcs org nz 2021 Retrieved 2021 08 08 a b Robert J B Hoare 2014 A Photographic Guide to Moths amp Butterflies of New Zealand Illustrator Olivier Jean Philippe Ball p 130 ISBN 978 1 86966 399 5 Wikidata Q59396160 George Vernon Hudson 1939 A supplement to the butterflies and moths of New Zealand Illustrator George Hudson Wellington Ferguson and Osborn Limited p 393 OCLC 9742724 Wikidata Q109420935 nbsp This article incorporates text from this source which is in the public domain New Zealand moths and butterflies Macro lepidoptera by George Vernon Hudson 1898 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Ichneutica sulcana amp oldid 1186403820, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
