- Animals
- ›Arthropods
- ›Hexapods
- ›Insects
- ›Winged and Once-winged Insects
- ›Butterflies and Moths
- ›Mandibulate Archaic Moths
- ›Micropterigidae
- ›Sabatinca
Sabatinca aurantissima
Sabatinca aurantissima is a species of moth belonging to the family Micropterigidae. This species is endemic to New Zealand and is found in the Nelson and Buller regions close to the coast and at lower altitudes. In appearance, the larvae has a distinctive pinkish-brown colour and at maturity can reach 8 mm in length. The adults are larger than many endemic species within the Sabatinca genus and have forewings that are highly reflective. These two features ensures it can be distinguished from S. aurella, a related species that is similar in appearance. The larvae feed on bryophytes.
From the article Sabatinca aurantissima on Wikipedia (CC BY-SA), quoted section by section
Description
The larvae of this species is coloured a distinctive pinkish-brown and at maturity is 8mm long. Gibbs describes the adult of this species as follows:
A large golden iridescent species with five transverse fasciae on forewing; the basal two magenta, the distal three highly reflective, appearing as if convex above the wing surface. The wingspan of this moth is approximately 12 to 13mm and is larger in size than many of the other New Zealand endemic species in the Sabatinca genus. This species can be confused with S. aurella but is larger in size and its forewings are more obviously reflective.
Range & habitat
S. aurantissima is endemic to New Zealand. This species has only been found in the Nelson and Buller regions relatively close to the coast and at lower altitudes.
Wikipedia: “Distribution”
What it does
Mature larvae have been found during the month of May but have not been discovered during the winter months in New Zealand. This has led to the hypothesis that pupation occurs during or after May. Adults are more frequently seen in September.
Wikipedia: “Behaviour”
Listen
Looking for field recordings…
Where it lives
Recorded sightings
—
geo-referenced records in GBIF, from museums, herbaria and field observers.
Drag the globe to turn it. Dots are where records exist, not a range map; darker means more records.
In the stacks
Searching the stacks…
Every page naming Sabatinca aurantissima in the Biodiversity Heritage Library →
This page is assembled live from iNaturalist, GBIF, Wikipedia, the Source Library and the Internet Archive. It is not yet part of the hand-edited codex. iNaturalist taxon 468622.