TANE 23, 1977
INSECTS FROM MOTUROA ISLANDS, MAY 1976
by Peter MacDonald Department of Zoology, University of Auckland, Private Bag, Auckland
SUMMARY
The natural occurrence of the species Chrysopa basalis Walker (Chrysopidae) and two species of the genus Hyphalus (Limnichidae) are recorded together with a list of insect species from the Moturoa Islands.
INTRODUCTION
The collections on which this paper is based were made during the Auckland University Field Club scientific trip to the Moturoa Island Group during May, 1976. The Moturoa Islands lie west of Cape Karikari, latitude 34° 47' South and longitude 173° 22' East, and are fully described by Wright (1977). Collections by myself and other Club members were confined to Whale and Moturoa Islands. Insects were taken from the southwest slope of Moturoa Island which is vegetated with a low cover of Coprosma repens. However, collecting was more widespread and concentrated on Whale Island, the largest island in the Group. The collection has been deposited with the Entomology Department, Auckland Institute and Museum.
SPECIES LIST
ORDER COLEOPTERA Family Carabidae det. J.C. Watt Ctenognathus actochares Broun Family Cerambycidae det. J.C. Watt Xylotoles gratus Broun Family Coccinellidae det. J.C. Watt Coccinella leonina (Fabricius) Rhizobius debilis Blackburn "Scymnus" sp. aff. minulutus Broun Family Curculionidae det. G. Kuschel Sub-family Cryptorhynchinae Acalles intutus Pascoe A. pascoei Broun Hadracalles fuliginosus Broun Irenimus compressus (Broun) Family Elateridae det. J.C. Watt "Corymbites" strangulatus White Family Limnichidae Hyphalus 2spp. Family Scarabaeidae det. J.C. Watt Sub-family Melolonthinae Ocnodus piceus (Broun) Odontria borealis Given Family Tenebrionidae det. J.C. Watt Chrysopeplus expolitus (Broun) Mimopeus elongates (Breme)
47 ORDER DERMAPTERA det. G.W. Ramsay Family Labiduridae Anisolabis littorea (White)
ORDER DICTYOPTERA det. G.W. Ramsay Family Blattidae Platyzosteria rufoterminata (Br. v. Watt) Family Chorisoneuridae Celeriblattina minor Johns
ORDER DIPTERA det. B.A. Holloway Family Calliphoridae Calliphora stygia (Fabricius) C. hortona (Walker) Family Chloropidae Gaurax sp. Family Coelopidae Chaetocoelopa littoralis (Hutton) Family Dolichopodidae Condylostylus cilifoliatus Parent Family Muscidae Coenosia sp. Limnophora sp. Family Psychodidae Psychoda sp. Family Syrphidae Eristalis tenax (Linnaeus) Melanostoma fasciatum (Macquart) Family Tipulidae Dicranomyia sp.
ORDER HEMIPTERA Sub-order HETEROPTERA det. L.L. Deitz Family Anthocoridae ?Cardiastethus sp. Family Cydnidae Philapodemus australis (Erichson) Family Lygaeidae unidentified sp. Family Pentatomidae Glaucias amyoti (White) Nezara viridula (Linnaeus) Sub-order HOMOPTERA Family Cicadidae det. J.S. Dugdale Kikihia cutora cutora det. J.S. Dugdale Family Coccidae unidentified sp. Family Delphacidae det. L.L. Deitz Ugyops pelorus Fennah
ORDER HYMENOPTERA Family Colletidae 'Hylaeus sp. Family Ichneumonidae near Cremastus agninus Lissopimpla excelsa (Costa) Family Formicidae det. R. Cumber Monomorium antarcticum (White) Family Pompilidae det. R. Cumber Salius bicolor Fabricius
ORDER LEP1DOPTERA Family Lycaenidae det J.S. Dugdale Helleia salustius (Fabricius)
ORDER NEUROPTERA Family Chrysopidae det. J.C. Watt Chrysopa basalis Walker
ORDER ORTHOPTERA det. G.W. Ramsay Family Gryllidae Sub-family Gryllinae Pteronemobius (nymph) Sub-family Triginidiinae Metioche maorica (Walker) Family Rhapidophoridae unidentified sp.
ORDER PHASMIDA det. G.W. Ramsay Family Phasmatidae Clitarchus hookeri White unusually small female
48 ORDER TRICHOPTERA det. K.A.J. Wise Family Philanisidae Philanisus plebeius (Walker)
DISCUSSION
Family Chrysopidae Chrysopa basalts Walker, 1853 The lacewing was captured in flight under a dense canopy, entirely of the plant Coprosma repens, on the summit of Moturoa Island. This represents the first recorded observation of the natural occurrence of the lacewing in New Zealand. Previous records show that the species was distributed no further south than the Kermadec Islands in the New Zealand sub-region (Wise 1972). It is hoped that this species will establish itself in New Zealand as it is an important predator of the scale insect, mealy bug and aphids. Family Limnichidae Hyphalus spp. Two new species were found in small cracks of the rock stratum in the mid-littoral zone on the southwest shore of Moturoa Island. The observed habitat may suggest that the beetles have a preference for exposure to strong wave action, providing aeration and an inflow of food particles whilst maintaining refuge between tightly bound rocks.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would like to thank Mr K.A.J. Wise, Auckland War Memorial Museum, for his advice on capture techniques, predictions for the location of Hyphalus beetles, for providing useful references and for critically reading the manuscript; and other members of Field Club with whose assistance the species list was considerably extended. I am particularly grateful to Dr J.C. Watt, Entomology Division, D.S.I.R., for the identification of the specimens.
REFERENCES
Britton, E.B. 1973: Hyphalus wisei sp. nov., A New Intertidal Beetle From New Zealand. Records of the Auckland Institute and Museum 10: 119-122. Dumbleton, C.J. 1936: Biological Control. New Zealand Journal of Science and Technology 18: 588-589. Wise, K.A.J. 1972: Neuroptera of the Kermadec Islands. Records of the Auckland Institute and Museum 9: 269-272.
44