Omiodes laysanensis Swezey, 1914

Laysan hedyleptan moth

Taxonomy & Nomenclature

Synonym/s: Hedylepta laysanensis Swezey, 1914; Omiodes laysanensis Meyrick, 1914 (incorrect author attribution)

Conservation Status

Missing

Last record: 1911 (source)

IUCN RedList status: Data Deficient

Haines (2004) states that "information since the last assessment in 1996 suggests that this species is still extant in the Hawaiian Islands", however no explanation of the nature of this "information" is given. Preston (1998) had this to say about its status:

"Recorded only from Laysan, this species is possibly extinct. It may have always been rare and therefore not of major importance for our purposes. It is important because of it’s rarity and because little is known about it. There are over 23 species recorded from the Hawaii (sic) Islands. Many more remain undescribed either because they are unique or because expertise is unavailable. There is only one researcher semi-active in Hawaiian crambids and he has not been back to Hawaii for several years. It should be noted that not (sic) last date of collection is given in Asquith’s 1994 unpublished report and Butler, 1963 makes no refference to it."

Distribution

Laysan, Hawaiian Islands, USA

Biology & Ecology

Hypodigm

Media

References

Original scientific description:

Swezey, Otto Herman. (1914). Two new species of moths from Laysan Island. Proceedings of the Hawaiian Entomological Society 3(1): 20-22.

Other references:

Beccaloni, G., Scoble, M., Kitching, I., Simonsen, T., Robinson, G., Pitkin, B., Hine, A. & Lyal, C. (Eds.). (2003). The Global Lepidoptera Names Index (LepIndex). World Wide Web electronic publication. http://www.nhm.ac.uk/entomology/lepindex [accessed 12 May 2012]

Fullaway, D. T. (1914). A list of Laysan Island insects. Proceedings of the Hawaiian Entomological Society 3(1): 18-19.

Gagné, W. C. and Howarth, F. G. (1982). Conservation status of endemic Hawaiian Lepidoptera. Proceedings of the 3rd Congress on European Lepidoptera. pp 74-85. Cambridge, England.

Haines, W. P. (2004). Omiodes laysanensis. In: IUCN 2011. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2011.2. (http://www.iucnredlist.org). Downloaded on 12 May 2012.

Nishida, G. M. (ed.). (1994). Hawaiian Terrestrial Arthropoda Checklist. Second Edition. Hawaii Biological Survey, Contribution No. 94-04. Bishop Museum: Honolulu, Hawaii. 287 pp.

Preston, David J. (1998). Recommendations for Laysan Island ecosystem restoration with species considerations toward the arthropods and their associated host plants. Submited to Dr. Marie Morin and Dr. Sheila Conant, April 1998, [Accessed 12 May 2012].

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