Chersadaula ochrogastra Meyrick, 1923
Taxonomy & Nomenclature
Conservation Status
Last record: 1920's
Rediscovered on 3 February 2020
Patrick & Dugdale (2000:21) noted that the species had "not been re-collected to our knowledge". On 28 January 2020 the iNaturalist user "wild_wind" uploaded a photographic observation of a moth from 19 October 2019. On 3 February 2020, Dr Robert Hoare added a comment confirming the identity of the moth as Chersadaula ochrogastra, and adding "as far as I know this is the only record of this species since the 1920's". As a recognised expert, Dr Hoare's identification turned wild_wind's photograph into a Research Grade observation. Since then there have been a further 53 Research Grade observations of the species, with the initial rediscovery likely raising awareness about the species and what it looks like in life, over and above a dried museum specimen.
Distribution
North Island, New Zealand
The holotype was collected at Breaker Bay, Wellington (Patrick & Dugdale, 2000:21)
Biology & Ecology
Hypodigm
Media
References
Original scientific description:
Meyrick, Edward. (1923). Descriptions of New Zealand Lepidoptera. Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute 54: 162-169.
Other references:
Hoare, Robert J. B., Dugdale, John 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. New Zealand Threat Classification Series 20. Department of Conservation, Wellington. 13 pp.
Patrick, Brian H. and Dugdale, John S. (2000). Conservation status of New Zealand Lepidoptera. Science for conservation 136. 34 pp.
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/38051010