Capua semiferana

Capua semiferana
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Clade: Pancrustacea
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Tortricidae
Genus: Capua
Species:
C. semiferana
Binomial name
Capua semiferana
(Walker, 1863)
Synonyms
  • Teras semiferana Walker, 1863
  • Pyrgotis semiferana (Walker, 1863)
  • Grapholita abnegatana Walker, 1864
  • Tinea admotella Walker, 1863
  • Sciaphila detritana Walker, 1863
  • Capua polias Meyrick, 1913

Capua semiferana is a species of moth of the family Tortricidae. It is endemic to New Zealand. This species was first described by Francis Walker in 1863.

Taxonomy

This species was described by Francis Walker in 1863 and originally named Teras semiferana. The female holotype, collected by D. Bolton in Auckland, is held at the Natural History Museum, London. George Hudson discussed and illustrated this species under the name Capua semiferana in his 1928 book The butterflies and moths of New Zealand. The genus placement of this species is in need of revision.

Description

Illustration of C. semiferana by George Hudson.

Hudson described this species as follows:

The expansion of the wings varies from slightly under to slightly over 5⁄8 inch. The fore-wings, which are somewhat dilated in the male, vary from pale greyish-ochreous to light reddish-brown; there is a series of minute black marks on the costa and dorsum; an irregular brownish patch near the base, often outwardly margined with black; a more or less distinct central band often obsolete towards the dorsum, brown, usually much darker or blackish on the costa and in some specimens represented by a large elliptical, blackish marking on the costa with a pale grey centre; there is usually a small brown mark near the termen; the cilia are ochreous or pale reddish-ochreous, much paler near the tornus. The hind-wings are grey faintly mottled with darker grey; the cilia are pale grey.

Hudson commented that this species is very variable in size, colour and intensity of markings.

Distribution

This species is endemic to New Zealand and is found throughout the country.

Behaviour

Although Hudson observed this species flying freely in late afternoon sunlight, adults are also attracted to light at night.

References

  1. 1 2 "Capua semiferana (Walker, 1863)". www.nzor.org.nz. Archived from the original on 2025-05-31. Retrieved 2026-06-26.
  2. 1 2 Dugdale, John Stewart (1988). "Lepidoptera - annotated catalogue, and keys to family-group taxa" (PDF). Fauna of New Zealand. 14: 119. doi:10.7931/j2/fnz.14. Wikidata Q45083134.
  3. ↑ Walker, Francis (1863), List of the Specimens of Lepidopterous Insects in the Collection of the British Museum, Part XXVIII. - Tortricites and Tineites, London: British Museum (Natural History). Department of Zoology., pp. 306–307, Wikidata Q109352878 BHL page 51897767
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 Hudson, George Vernon (1928), The butterflies and moths of New Zealand, Illustrator: George Hudson, Wellington: Ferguson and Osborn Limited, p. 223, LCCN 88133764, OCLC 25449322, Wikidata Q58593286 BHL page 61899834 Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  5. ↑ Knox, Carey (2024). Butterflies & Moths of Aotearoa New Zealand. John Beaufoy Publishing. p. 140. ISBN 978-1-913679-66-8. Wikidata Q130640046.
  6. ↑ Gaskin, David Edward (1966), The butterflies and common moths of New Zealand, Christchurch: Whitcombe & Tombs Limited, p. 179, OCLC 4624894, Wikidata Q115000559