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what’s this NZ moth please?
Sun, May 24, 2009 at 1:03 AM
Hi, can you tell us what NZ moth this is? Found it in Tauranga in the evening. Very bright green with long tail. about 25-30mm long.
saskia
Tauranga NZ

Tatosoma tipulata? from Zealand Moth

Dear Saskia,
We haven’t had much luck identifying your unusual moth, but perhaps one of our readers can supply an answer.

Update: Mon, May 25, 2009 at 10:31 AM
Daniel:
Hopefully someone who is familiar with New Zealand moths can confirm this identification, but I believe this curious looking moth is Tatosoma tipulata (Geometridae: Larentiinae), or at least a species in that genus. The few online pictures are of dried specimens and the colors look more brown than green, but there are descriptions that suggest “greenish” coloration on the forewings. The long abdomen is the most curious and distinguishing feature. Dr. Robert Hoare provides a rather poetic and humorous description in The Weta 28: 56-59 (2004) .weta28_56_59 He notes that the Latin name literally translated means “Long body like cranefly”. Regards.
Karl

Dear Karl,
Thanks once again for assisting us in the identification of unusual exotica from far flung global coordinates. This ID sure seems correct to us. Perhaps you will have an opinion on the Brazilian insect with the feathery antennae we are about to post.
Daniel

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