Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Geometridae
Tribe: Xanthorhoini
Genus: Austrocidaria
Species: A. similata
Binomial name: Austrocidaria similata
Synonyms: Cidaria timarata, Cidaria similata
Common name: Dark coprosma carpet moth.
Austrocidaria similata is a small sized carpet moth in the family Geometridae. It is found on the Auckland Islands, Campbell Island, Snares Islands, Chatham Islands, Stewart Island and throughout New Zealand. Its habitat is native forests and scrubland where its larvae feed on Coprosma species including Coprosma robusta and Coprosma rotundifolia.
This nocturnal moth has a forewing length of 13-17 mm. Its wing patterns and its mottled green and brown colour camouflages the moth when it is resting on tree trunks during the day. Adults are on the wing in December, February, May and September. The larvae move to the ground where they pupate in a silken cocoon in leaf litter.
The moth family of Austrocidaria are unusual as the males do not have a feathery antenna like other species...
A moth in camouflage colours.
This species can vary in the shades of colour.
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