Petasactis

Petasactis is a genus of moths belonging to the family Tineidae. It contains only one species, Petasactis technica, which is endemic to New Zealand. This species has not been collected since prior to 1888. It is classified as "Data Deficient" by the Department of Conservation.

Petasactis
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Tineidae
Genus:	Petasactis Meyrick, 1915[1]
Species:	P. technica
Binomial name
Petasactis technica (Meyrick, 1888)[2]
Synonyms[3]
Ereunetis technica Meyrick, 1888

Taxonomy

This genus was described by Edward Meyrick in 1915.^[1][4] The species was also described by Edward Meyrick in 1888 and named Ereunetis technica using a female specimen he collected at Whangarei Heads in December.^[5][3] In 1915 Meyrick reassigned this species to the genus Petasactis when he revised New Zealand Tineina.^[1] George Hudson discussed this species in his 1928 book The Butterflies and Moths of New Zealand.^[6] The holotype specimen is held at the Natural History Museum, London.^[3]

Description

Meyrick described the species as follows:

Female.—12 mm. Head white, crown ochreous-tinged. Palpi white, beneath with some black scales. Antennæ white, with a black scale-streak at base. Thorax ochreous-white, with a lateral brownish-ochreous stripe. Abdomen grey. Anterior legs blackish; middle and posterior legs ochreous-white. Forewings elongate - lanceolate; greyish - ochreous, suffused with rather dark fuscous towards inner margin; markings white, faintly ochreous-tinged; a very fine longitudinal median line from base to 2⁄3, seven wedge-shaped strigulae from costa, first two very oblique, reaching half across wing, first connected with base by a slender costal streak, five latter shorter and less oblique; a subtriangular spot on inner margin at 1⁄3, and a sub-oval one at 2⁄3, a small black apical spot: cilia light greyish-ochreous, with a blackish-grey median line on upper half, some white scales at base towards middle of hindmargin, and two diverging blackish hooks at apex. Hindwings and cilia light grey; costal cilia whitish.^[5]

Distribution

This species is endemic to New Zealand.^[7][2] This species is only known to be present at its type locality.^[8]

Biology and behaviour

The biology of this species is largely unknown.^[8] Adult moths are on the wing in December.^[5]

Host species

It has been hypothesised that P. technica larva inhabit and consume dead leaves of large monocots or dead wood.^[8]

Conservation status

This species has been classified as having the "Data Deficient" conservation status under the New Zealand Threat Classification System.^[9] It has not been collected since Meyrick obtained the type specimen.^[10]