Pseudocoremia lupinata is a species of moth in the family Geometridae.[1] It is endemic to New Zealand and can be found in both the North and South Islands. The favoured habitat of this species is Kānuka scrubland as its larval hosts are species in the genus Kunzea. Both the larvae and adults of this species are nocturnal. Adult moths are commonly on the wing from December to June and are attracted to light.
This species was first described by Baron Cajetan von Felder, Rudolf Felder and Alois Friedrich Rogenhofer in 1875 using a specimen collected in Nelson by T. R. Oxley and named Cidaria lupinata.[2] Edward Meyrick in 1883 placed this species within the genus Pseudocoremia.[3] He confirmed this placement in 1884.[4] In 1898 George Hudson, thinking he was describing a new species, named this species Selidosema humilima.[5] In 1909 Meyrick placed synonymised Selidosema humilima with Selidosema lupinata.[6] Hudson discussed and illustrated this species under the name Selidosema lipinata in his 1928 book The butterflies and moths of New Zealand.[7] In 1988 J. S. Dugdale discussed this species under the name Pseudocoremia lupinata. The male holotype is held at the Natural History Museum, London.[8]
D. E. Gaskin described the egg of this species as follows:
Gaskin described the larva of this species as follows:
George Hudson described the adult of the species as follows:
This species is endemic to New Zealand.[9] It can be found in both the North and South Islands from Auckland to Invercargill.[10]
This species inhabits native forest including Kānuka scrubland.[11]
The egg takes about two to three weeks to hatch. The larva feeds at night and remains unmoving during the day. This species pupates at ground level.[12] The adult moths are said to be on the wing from December to June. However D. E. Gaskin hypothesised that there are two distinct generations of this moth a year. The adult moth is nocturnal and is attracted to light.
The larval plant hosts include species in the genus Kunzea.[13]