Zealandopterix zonodoxa
MICROPTERIGIDAE: Mandibulate Archaic Moths 4
Zealandopterix zonodoxa (Meyrick, 1888). F.L. 2.5 mm. Endemic. Common.
Habitat, seasonality and behaviour 5
It inhabits a wide variety of moist indigenous forest types but usually with podocarps. Adults found from November to March, peaking between end of December and beginning of February. They fly by day in sunshine, can be found resting on and inside buildings and have been observed swarming around flowering nikau palms in large numbers.
Life history 5
Host plant specificity is unknown however, larvae have been extracted from moss and rotting wood on the floor of a mixed podocarp/broadleaf forest.
Notes 5
It is known from the northern North Island of New Zealand, from Te Paki south to Puketitri, Hawkes Bay and including Poor Knights, Little Barrier and Great Barrier Islands.
Sources and Credits
- (c) Stephen Thorpe, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Stephen Thorpe
- (c) Tony Steer, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), uploaded by Tony Steer
- George Vernon Hudson , no known copyright restrictions (public domain), http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Fig_21_MA_I437900_TePapa_Plate-XXXIX-The-butterflies_full_(cropped).jpg
- Adapted by Tony Steer from a work by (c) Wikipedia, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zealandopterix_zonodoxa
- (c) Tony Steer, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)
More Info
iNaturalist NZ Map
| Forewing | 2-5 mm, metallic |
|---|---|
| Antennae | short |
| Body | spiky-head |
| Resting posture | horizontal, roof-like |
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