Austrocidaria venustatis
Austrocidaria venustatis is a species of moth of the family Geometridae. It endemic to New Zealand and has been collected in Southland. Adults of this species are on the wing in December. Taxonomy This species was first described by John Tenison Salmon in 1946 using a specimen collected at Lake Gunn in the Eglinton Valley in December, 1944. Salmon originally named the species Hydriomena venustatis. In 1950 George Hudson described and illustrated this species. In 1988 John S. Dugdale placed this species in the genus Austrocidaria. The male holotype is held at Te Papa. Description Hudson described this species as follows: Hudson recognised that this species was visually similar to Austrocidaria similata but stated that it could be distinguished from that species based on its morphology. Distribution A. venustatis is endemic to New Zealand. It has been collected in Southland. Behaviour Adults are on the wing in December. References Xanthorhoini Moths of New Zealand Moths described in 1946 Endemic fauna of New Zealand Taxa named by John Salmon Endemic moths of New Zealand