{{Short description|Species of moth, endemic to New Zealand}} {{Use New Zealand English|date=July 2024}} {{Speciesbox | image = Antiscopa elaphra male.jpg | image_caption = Male | image2 = Antiscopa elaphra female.jpg | image2_caption = Female | taxon = Antiscopa elaphra | authority = (Meyrick, 1884)<ref>{{Cite web |title=Antiscopa elaphra (Meyrick, 1884)|url=https://biotanz.landcareresearch.co.nz/scientific-names/035a65df-b055-44cf-a63e-f4a5292ee5c6 |access-date=2022-11-07 |website=biotanz.landcareresearch.co.nz}}</ref> | synonyms = {{Specieslist |Scoparia elaphra|Meyrick, 1884 }} |synonyms_ref=<ref name="Dugdale1988" /> }}
'''''Antiscopa elaphra''''' is a moth in the family Crambidae.<ref name="NZIB">{{Cite Q|Q45922947|page=458}}</ref> It is endemic to New Zealand and has been observed in both the North and South Islands. Adults of this species are on the wing from August until March and are attracted to light. In 2020 this species had its DNA barcode sequenced.
==Taxonomy== thumb|left|Illustration of species by George Hudson. This species was first named ''Scoparia elaphra'' by Edward Meyrick in 1884.<ref name="Meyrick1884">{{Cite Q|Q113372586|pages=236}}</ref><ref name="Dugdale1988">{{Cite Q|Q45083134|pages=154}}</ref> In 1885 Meyrick gave a detailed description of the species using specimens collected near Palmerston North and Christchurch.<ref name="Meyrick1885">{{Cite Q|Q113379604|pages=105}}</ref> George Hudson discussed and illustrated this species under the name ''Scoparia acompa'' in his 1928 book ''The butterflies and moths of New Zealand''.<ref name="Hudson1928">{{Cite Q|Q58593286|pages=197}}</ref> In 1964 Eugene Munroe placed this species in the genus ''Antiscopa''.<ref name="Munroe1964">{{Cite Q|Q115118913}}</ref> This placement was accepted by John S. Dugdale in 1988.<ref name="Dugdale1988" /> The male lectotype, collected in Palmerston North, is held at the Natural History Museum, London.<ref name="Dugdale1988" />
==Description== thumb|left|Observation of live ''A. elaphra''. Meyrick described the adults of this species as follows: {{Blockquote|Male, female. — 12-14 mm. Head and thorax pale ochreous mixed with whitish, shoulders narrowly suffused with dark fuscous. Palpi {{frac|4|1|2}}, dark fuscous, white above and beneath. Antennae whitish-ochreous; in male joints serrate with apical teeth only, ciliations 1. Abdomen grey-whitish. Legs white, anterior pair suffused with dark fuscous. Forewings very elongate, narrow, triangular, costa straight, apex round-pointed, hindmargin slightly sinuate, very oblique; pale brownish-ochreous, irregularly irrorated with white on veins, and generally with scattered dark fuscous scales; base of costa rather suffused with dark fuscous; some blackish scales on submedian fold before first line; first line hardly whitish, posteriorly margined with dark fuscous, rather strongly curved; orbicular small, linear, black, touching first line; claviform smaller, similar, generally indistinct; reniform dot-like, blackish; second line obscurely whitish, anteriorly dark-margined, somewhat curved above middle, otherwise straight; a row of blackish dots on hindrnargin; cilia whitish, with two fuscous-grey lines. Hindwings {{frac|1|1|3}}, grey-whitish; lunule, postmedian line and hindrnargin grey; cilia white.<ref name="Meyrick1885" />}}This species can be distinguished from related species in its genus by its small size, long palpi, the sharp, triangular shape of, as well as the simple markings on, its forewings and its overall fragile appearance.<ref name="Meyrick1885" /> In 2020 ''A. elphra'' had its DNA barcode sequenced and published.<ref>{{Cite Q|Q104135419|doi-access=free}}</ref>
==Distribution== thumb|Palmerston North, type locality of ''A. elaphra''. It is endemic to New Zealand.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.nzor.org.nz/names/0718f8f4-1574-4c73-ab7b-001a6d1b9390|title=Antiscopa elaphra (Meyrick, 1884)|last=|first=|date=23 December 2014|website=www.nzor.org.nz|publisher=Landcare Research New Zealand Ltd|access-date=2017-08-08}}</ref> The species has been observed in both the North and the South Islands.<ref name="Meyrick1885" />
==Behaviour== Hudson stated that adults of this species were on the wing from August until March.<ref name="Hudson1928" /> Adults have also been recorded on wing in the West Coast from March until September.<ref>{{Cite Q|Q57483705}}</ref> They are attracted to light.<ref name="Hudson1928" />
==References== {{Commons}} {{Wikispecies}} {{Reflist}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q13380537}}
Category:Moths described in 1884 Category:Scopariinae Category:Moths of New Zealand Category:Taxa named by Edward Meyrick Category:Endemic moths of New Zealand