Helastia siris

Helastia siris
	Male
Conservation status
	; Relict (NZ TCS)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Geometridae
Genus:	Helastia
Species:	H. siris
Binomial name
	Helastia siris; (Hawthorne, 1897)
Synonyms
	Asaphodes siris Hawthorne, 1897 ;

Helastia siris is a species of moth in the family Geometridae. This species is endemic to New Zealand and is found in the Wellington region as well as on Stephens and the Chatham Islands. It is classified as "At Risk, Relict'" by the Department of Conservation. H. siris inhabits coastal tussock grassland. Little is known of the biology of this species. Adults have been observed on the wing in March and September. Adults are nocturnal and are attracted to light.

Taxonomy

This species was first described by E. F. Hawthorne in 1897 using a specimen he collected in Wellington (specifically at Cape Terawhiti)^[3] and named Asaphodes siris.^[4]^[2] George Hudson discussed and illustrated this species in his 1898 book under the same name and in his 1928 book as a synonym of Hydriomena triphragma.^[5]^[6] In 1987 Robin C. Craw placed this species within the genus Helastia.^[7] The holotype specimen is held at the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa.^[2]

Description

Hudson described the species as follows:

The expansion of the wings is about 7⁄8 inch. The fore-wings are dull ochreous; there is a small curved brown patch near the base; then a pale band, followed by a very broad brown central band, paler in the middle; there is a very sharp projection on the outer edge of the central band, a conspicuous black dot in the centre of the wing, and a series of minute black dots on the termen. The hind-wings are pale ochreous, with a faint central transverse line.^[5]

Distribution

This species is endemic to New Zealand.^[8]^[1] It occurs in Wellington, Stephens Island and in the Chatham Islands.^[7] It has been collected from Baring Head.^[9]

Biology and lifecycle

Very little is known about the biology of H. siris.^[10] It is on the wing in March and September, is nocturnal and is attracted to light.^[5]^[11]

Host species and habitat

This species prefers short tussock grassland habitat in coastal areas.^[7] The host species for the larvae of H. siris is unknown.^[10] It has been hypothesised the larvae of H. siris feed on the flowers of Helichrysum species and then feed on mosses, lichens or shrubs growing nearby.^[12]

Conservation status

This moth is classified under the New Zealand Threat Classification system as being "At Risk, Relict".^[13]

References

^ ^a ^b "Helastia siris (Hawthorne, 1897)". www.nzor.org.nz. Landcare Research New Zealand Ltd. Retrieved 2018-05-16.
^ ^a ^b ^c Dugdale, J. S. (1988). "Lepidoptera - annotated catalogue, and keys to family-group taxa" (PDF). Fauna of New Zealand. 14: 181. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 January 2019. Retrieved 16 May 2018.
^ Brian H. Patrick (1994), Coastal butterflies and moths of Wellington and South Wairarapa. (PDF), Wikidata Q110426707, archived from the original (PDF) on 13 December 2021
^ Hawthorne, E. F. (1897). "Descriptions of two new species of Lepidoptera". Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute. 29: 282–283 – via Biodiversity Heritage Library.
^ ^a ^b ^c Hudson, G. V. (1898). New Zealand moths and butterflies (Macro-lepidoptera). London: West, Newman & Co. p. 55. OCLC 10581623.
^ Hudson, G. V. (1928). The Butterflies and Moths of New Zealand. Wellington: Ferguson & Osborn Ltd. p. 98. OCLC 25449322.
^ ^a ^b ^c Craw, R. C. (1987). "Revision of the genus Helastia sensu stricto with description of a new genus (Lepidoptera: Geometridae: Larentiinae)". New Zealand Journal of Zoology. 14 (2): 269–293. doi:10.1080/03014223.1987.10422997.
^ Gordon, Dennis P., ed. (2010). New Zealand inventory of biodiversity: Kingdom animalia: chaetognatha, ecdysozoa, ichnofossils. Vol. 2. p. 459. ISBN 978-1-877257-93-3. OCLC 973607714. OL 25288394M. Wikidata Q45922947.
^ Crisp, Philippa (2008). "Baring Head ecological values" (PDF). www.gw.govt.nz. Retrieved 16 May 2018.
^ ^a ^b Patrick, Brian; Dugdale, John S. (2000). Conservation status of the New Zealand lepidoptera (PDF). Wellington, N.Z.: Department of Conservation, New Zealand. p. 24. ISBN 978-0478218671. OCLC 154670803.
^ Carey Knox (2024). Butterflies & Moths of Aotearoa New Zealand. John Beaufoy Publishing. p. 56. ISBN 978-1-913679-66-8. Wikidata Q130640046.
^ Patrick, Brian (2014). "Of lichens and mosses" (PDF). Butterflies and Moths of New Zealand. 11: 8. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 May 2017.
^ Hoare, R.J.B.; Dugdale, J.S.; Edwards, E.D.; Gibbs, G.W.; Patrick, B.H.; Hitchmough, R.A.; Rolfe, J.R. (2017). Conservation status of New Zealand butterflies and moths (Lepidoptera), 2015 (PDF). Wellington, New Zealand: New Zealand Department of Conservation. p. 8. ISBN 9781988514383.