Erechthias lychnopa
# Erechthias lychnopa

Erechthias lychnopa is a species of moth in the family Tineidae. This species is endemic to New Zealand and has only been collected in a karaka grove at Sinclair Head in Wellington in November . It has yet to be collected again. It has been hypothesised that the larvae inhabit dead wood. It is classified as "Data Deficient" by the Department of Conservation.

## Taxonomy

It was described by Edward Meyrick in 1927 from a specimen collected by George Hudson in November, in a karaka grove, near Sinclair Head, Wellington. Hudson discussed and illustrated this species in his 1928 publication The Butterflies and Moths of New Zealand. The holotype specimen is held at the Natural History Museum, London.

## Description

Meyrick described the species as follows:

   ♂ 15 mm. Head, thorax greyish mixed darker. Palpi grey mixed blackish, beneath whitish. Antennae grey tinged fulvous on basal half. Forewings grey irregularly irrorated blackish scales finely edged whitish; a white mark on middle of costal edge; upturned apical area with median portion dark grey mixed blackish and speckled white, above and below this triangular light orange-ochreous spots, line of flexure with whitish reflections: cilia grey-whitish with blackish subbasal and postmedian shades, above apex a blackish external hook. Hindwings dark grey, an apical spot of whitish speckling; cilia grey, round apex whitish-tinged with three dark grey lines.

In appearance this species is very similar to Erechthias externalla however it can be distinguished from this species as it is much larger.

## Distribution

This species is endemic to New Zealand. It has only been found at Sinclair Head, in Wellington.

## Biology and behaviour

The larvae of this species are likely to inhabit dead wood. The adult moths are on the wing in November. The habitat these moths have frequented is scrub forest.

## Conservation status

This species has been classified as having the "Data Deficient" conservation status under the New Zealand Threat Classification System. E. lychnopa has yet to be found again since being first collected in November in shrubland at Sinclair Head.

