Tingena siderota is a species of moth in the family Oecophoridae.[1] It is endemic to New Zealand and has been observed at Mount Arthur, Arthur's Pass and in the Hawkes Bay. The adults of this species are on the wing in January and are said to be abundant on the flowers of species in the genus Aciphylla.
This species was first described in 1888 by Edward Meyrick using specimens collected on Mount Arthur in January.[2] Meyrick originally named this species Cremnogenes siderota. In 1915 Meyrick placed this species within the Borkhausenia genus.[3] In 1926 Alfred Philpott studied and illustrated the genitalia of the male of this species. George Hudson discussed and illustrated this species under the name B. siderota in his 1928 publication The butterflies and moths of New Zealand.[4] In 1988 Dugdale placed this species in the genus Tingena. The female lectotype is held at the Natural History Museum, London.
Meyrick described this species as follows:This species can be distinguished from its close relatives because of its brilliant colour and the leaden-metallic fasciae.
This species is endemic to New Zealand and has been observed at its type locality of Mount Arthur as well as Arthur's Pass.[5] [6] This species has also been observed in the Hawkes Bay. It is regarded as being a rare species.
The adults of this species are on the wing in January.
This species has been collected at altitudes of around 4500 ft and is said to be abundant on the flowers of Aciphylla.