Orthoclydon chlorias explained

Orthoclydon chlorias is a species of moth in the family Geometridae. It is endemic to New Zealand.

Taxonomy

This species was first described by Edward Meyrick in 1883 under the name Larentia chlorias.^{[1] [2]} Meyrick went on to give a more detailed description of the species in 1884.^[3] In 1903 George Hudson, thinking he was describing the species for the first time, also named the species Venusia princeps.^[4] In 1905 Meyrick synonymised this name and placed this species within the genus Xanthorhoe.^[5] In 1928 Hudson illustrated and discussed this species in his book The Butterflies and Moths of New Zealand under its current name Orthoclydon chlorias.^[6]

Description

Meyrick described the species as follows:

Distribution

O. chlorias is endemic to New Zealand.^[7] Meyrick first collected the species at near Castle Hill. The moth has subsequently also been found at Mount Hector, Tararua range, Dun Mountain, and at Dunedin.

Plant hosts

O. chlorias larvae feed on the leaves of Gaultheria species.^[8]

Notes and References

1. Dugdale. J. S.. Lepidoptera - annotated catalogue, and keys to family-group taxa. Fauna of New Zealand. 1988. 14. 186. 21 December 2018. 22 July 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190722101744/https://www.landcareresearch.co.nz/__data/assets/pdf_file/0017/26324/FNZ14Dugdale1988.pdf. dead.
2. Meyrick. Edward. Edward Meyrick. 1883. Monograph of New Zealand Geometrina [abstract]]. New Zealand Journal of Science. 1. 526–531. Biodiversity Heritage Library.
3. Meyrick. Edward. 1884. A monograph of the New Zealand Geometrina. Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute. 16. 49–113. Biodiversity Heritage Library.
4. Hudson. G. V.. George Hudson (entomologist). 1903. On some new species of Macro-lepidoptera. Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute. 35. 243–245. Biodiversity Heritage Library.
5. Meyrick. Edward. Edward Meyrick. 1905. Notes on New Zealand Lepidoptera. Transactions of the Entomological Society of London. 53. 219–244. Biodiversity Heritage Library.
6. Book: Hudson, G. V.. George Hudson (entomologist)

   . The Butterflies and Moths of New Zealand. Ferguson & Osborn Ltd.. 1928. Wellington. 107. 25449322. George Hudson (entomologist).

7. 460.
8. Web site: Invertebrate herbivore biodiversity assessment - Orthoclydon chlorias . plant-synz.landcareresearch.co.nz. Manaaki Whenua - Landcare Research . 21 December 2018.