Culladia strophaea is a species of moth in the family Crambidae.[1] It is endemic to New Zealand.[1][2] The taxonomy of this species is currently uncertain.
This species was first described by Edward Meyrick in 1905 as Argyria strophaea using specimens collected in Wellington by George Hudson.[3][4] Hudson discussed and illustrated the species under this name in his 1928 book The Butterflies and Moths of New Zealand.[5] The lectotype of this species is held at the Natural History Museum, London.[4]
In 1973 D. E. Gaskin placed A. strophaea within the genus Culladia.[6] This placement is currently under debate and is regarded by some scientists as erroneous.[7] As a result, this species is also referred to as Argyria (s.l.) strophaea or alternatively by its original name despite the later also being regarded as erroneous.[8][9]
Meyrick described this species as follows:
♂︎♀︎. 15-18 mm. Head and thorax ochreous-whitish, partially yellowish-tinged, and sprinkled with dark grey. Palpi 4, grey, darker-sprinkled, whitish above and towards base beneath. Antennae ochreous-whitish, obscurely ringed with dark fuscous. Abdomen ochreous-whitish irrorated with dark grey. Fore-wings elongate-triangular, costa gently arched, apex obtuse, termen slightly rounded, oblique, faintly waved ; pale brassy-ochreous, suffusedly mixed with white, and irrorated with dark grey ; subbasal line white, edged anteriorly with dark fuscous, angulated near costa, obsolete towards dorsum ; first and second lines white, more or less edged with dark fuscous, first obtusely angulated above middle, second sinuate inwards towards dorsum, preceded on costa by a small dark fuscous spot ; a small roundish dark fuscous spot in disc before middle ; a narrow white transverse mark in disc beyond middle; a terminal series of dark fuscous lunulate marks: cilia whitish, with a fuscous subapical Hue, basal half barred with fuscous. Hind-wings grey, darker posteriorly ; cilia as in fore-wings.[3]
This species is endemic to New Zealand.[1][8] This species can be found in the North Island as well as in the provinces of Nelson and Westland in the South Island.[6] Other than the type locality of Wellington, this species has also been found at Whakarewarewa, Raurimu, Whanganui,[5] Haruru falls in the Bay of Islands, Lake Taupo, Bluff Hill in Napier, and at Lake Rotorua.[6]
Larvae of this species have been found in soil.[10] This species is on the wing in January.[5] Specimens of this species have been collected with mercury vapour light traps and 15watt UV light traps.[11][10] Alfred Philpott studied the male genitalia of this species in 1929.[12]
It frequents stony cuttings, often by roadsides, near forest habitat.[5]
Culladia strophaea is a species of moth in the family Crambidae. It is endemic to New Zealand. The taxonomy of this species is currently uncertain.