Pyrgotis plinthoglypta

The adult of this species was described by Edward Meyrick as follows:

♂ 16mm. Head and palpi light reddish-ochreous. Antennae fuscous, ciliations 1. Thorax reddish-ochreous, with a curved dark fuscous mark above middle. Abdomen pale grey. Legs whitish, anterior pair and middle tibiae dark giey above. Forewings elongate - triangular, costa gently arched, apex rounded, hindmargin rather strongly sinuate, oblique; pale fuscous-reddish, irregularly spotted with ochreous; markings deep ochreous, partially mixed with black and ferruginous; a streak from base of costa to middle of inner margin; a second from 1⁄3 of costa to 3⁄4 of inner margin; a third from costa immediately beyond second, suddenly bent round above middle, and terminating on costa at 4⁄5, edged above from angle onwards by a snow-white streak attenuated posteriorly; a fourth from costa, immediately beyond termination of third, obliquely inwards to disc beyond middle, thence acutely angulated to middle of hindmargin, edged on apical side throughout by a clear white streak interrupted on each side of angle, included apical space ochreous, marked with black on hindmargin; two small leaden-grey spots between second and third streaks towards costa, and two others between third and fourth, lower of these larger; an ochreous streak along lower half of hindmargin, edged with black on margin : cilia ochreous, with a dark fusc …

This species is endemic to New Zealand and is found throughout the country. It is regarded as being common.

The larvae of this species lives underneath silken webs amongst the leaves of rimu trees. They pupate in a loose cocoons created from silk and frass amongst the leaves of its host tree. Adults are on the wing from October to May. They are night flying moths and are attracted to light. When resting the adult insect resembles a small dried fragment of rimu foliage.