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Dumbletonius characterifer

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Species of moth

Dumbletonius characterifer
Female specimen
Male specimen
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Hepialidae
Genus: Dumbletonius
Species: D. characterifer
Binomial name
Dumbletonius characterifer
(Walker, 1865)
Synonyms
  • Hepialus characterifer Walker, 1865
  • Oxycanus impletus Walker, 1865
  • Porina mairi Buller, 1873

Dumbletonius characterifer is a species of moth of the family Hepialidae. It is endemic to New Zealand. It was first described by Francis Walker in 1865.

The wingspan is 56–70 mm (2.2–2.8 in) for males and 72–95 mm (2.8–3.7 in) for females. There is a complex ocellate pattern with bicoloured scales on the forewings. The hindwings are dark brown. Adults are on wing from November to April. D. characterifer is present in the Waikato, Taupo, Taranaki, Wairarapa, Wellington, Nelson, Marlborough and Marlborough Sounds, Buller and Westland regions.

The larvae feed on leaf litter. They built tunnels in the leaf litter from which they feed.

The northern most location this species has been observed at is Mount Te Aroha. This species has been known to be infected by Ophiocordyceps robertsii, the vegetable caterpillar fungus.

References

  1. "Dumbletonius characterifer (Walker, 1865)". www.nzor.org.nz. Landcare Research New Zealand Ltd. Retrieved 2017-09-27.
  2. Nielsen, Ebbe S.; Robinson, Gaden S.; Wagner, David L. (2000). "Ghost-moths of the world: a global inventory and bibliography of the Exoporia (Mnesarchaeoidea and Hepialoidea) (Lepidoptera )" (PDF). Journal of Natural History. 34 (6): 823–878. doi:10.1080/002229300299282. S2CID 86004391.
  3. Walker, Francis (1865). "Supplement, part 2". List of the Specimens of Lepidopterous Insects in the Collection of the British Museum. 32: 323–706 – via Biodiversity Heritage Library.
  4. ^ Dugdale, J. S. (1994). "Hepialidae (Insecta: Lepidoptera)" (PDF). Fauna of New Zealand. 30: 57 – via Landcare Research New Zealand Ltd.
  5. ^ Robert Hoare (2020), The Moths of Mt Te Aroha (PDF), pp. 1–11, Wikidata Q113345596, archived from the original (PDF) on 7 March 2022
Taxon identifiers
Dumbletonius characterifer


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