eudonia philetaera is a moth in the crambidae family .

it was described by meyrick in 1885 .

it is found in new zealand .

the wingspan is about 19 mm .

the forewings are white , mixed with light grey and with some fine scattered black scales .

there is a suffused blackish spot on the costa at the base .

the first line is white and blackish-margined and the second line is whitish , margined with dark anteriorly .

the hindwings are very pale whitish-grey .

the lunule , postmedian line and hindmargin are slightly darker .

eudonia philetaera

eudonia philetaera ( meyrick , 1884 ) . this apparently rare species has barely been recognised since its original description , but two specimens resembling the holotype in wing pattern were found in nzac , and the male genitalia also match those of the holotype . known specimens are from nc and mk .
eudonia parca ( philpott , 1928 ) . this species is placed in eudonia here , following dissection of the holotype male in nzac . see also under e . oculata .
scoparia ( s . l . ) humilialis hudson , 1950 . see under eudonia leptalea .
scoparia ( s . l . ) sinuata philpott , 1930 . see under eudonia dochmia .
eudonia illota ( philpott , 1919 ) . placed in eudonia here based on male genitalia of a syntype in nzac . wing pattern and male genitalia indicate that e . pachyerga ( meyrick ) is conspecific .
eudonia quaestoria ( meyrick , 1929 ) . see under e . phalerias ; tentatively retained as a separate taxon .
eudonia meliturga ( meyrick , 1905 ) . regarded as identical with e . subditella ( walker ) , q . v .
eudonia subditella ( walker , 1866 ) . conspecific with e . meliturga ( meyrick ) , based on wing pattern and male genitalia of the lectotypes .
eudonia phalerias ( meyrick , 1905 ) . placed in eudonia here based on male genitalia of a specimen in nzac ; the wing pattern is highly characteristic . e . quaestoria ( meyrick ) appears to have identical genitalia and may be a colour form , but is kept separate as no intermediates are known .
eudonia chlamydota ( meyrick , 1884 ) . this species varies in both forewing and hindwing coloration , and triclera ( meyrick ) is treated as a colour variant here , based on genitalia of the holotype .
eudonia alopecias ( meyrick 1901 ) . the genitalia of the male lectotype appear almost indistinguishable from the genitalia of eudonia feredayi ( knaggs ) , and alopecias may represent a large unicolorous form of the latter species . however , no closely similar specimens are present in nzac , and the type locality ( mt cook ) lies in a known area of endemism , so the taxonomic status is left unresolved at present . not illustrated .
eudonia crypsinoa ( meyrick , 1884 ) . eudonia paltomacha ( meyrick ) was described from the same locality as crypsinoa ( castle hill mc ) , based on specimens with dark longitudinal forewing streaking . there are no differences between the male genitalia of the lectotypes , so these are here treated as forms of a single species . e . axena ( q . v . ) also exhibits forms with longitudinal forewing streaking , which have gone under the name paltomacha in collections .
eudonia sp . a . this is a widespread species that has been confused with e . philerga and e . manganeutis in collections , but may be distinguished when fresh by the presence of bright orange scaling on the thorax and forewings .
scoparia ( s . l . ) sylvestris clarke , 1926 . this species has not been recognised in this study as separable from eudonia microphthalma ( meyrick ) , but the potential synonymy has not been confirmed by dissection . not illustrated .
eudonia psammitis ( meyrick , 1884 ) . consistent differences ( if any ) between this species and e . leptalea require elucidating ; the name is used here only for large , very narrow - winged specimens from higher elevations , matching the lectotype .
eudonia oreas ( meyrick , 1884 ) . this species has remained unrecognised in nzac , but the genitalia of the holotype indicate that it is a good species , allied to e . locularis ( although superficially it resembles philerga and manganeutis ) . not illustrated .
eudonia linealis ( walker , 1866 ) . this species remains unrecognised , and the holotype in bmnh lacks its abdomen , but it may be a worn specimen of philerga ( meyrick ) , in which case linealis is the valid name . it is treated as a nomen dubium here .
eudonia atmogramma ( meyrick , 1915 ) . the genitalia of the male lectotype have not been distinguished from those of e . leptalea , but this streaked form or species only occurs in parts of the range of leptalea , and it is very tentatively retained as a separate taxon for the time being .
scoparia parachalca meyrick , 1884 . this species has apparently remained unrecognised since its original discovery ; females of eudonia feredayi have sometimes been misidentified as parachalca . the genitalia of the male holotype indicate a possible relationship with s . ergatis , which is also superficially similar , but parachalca has fewer cornuti in the vesica . not illustrated .
eudonia leptalea ( meyrick , 1884 ) . differences between this species and e . psammitis ( q . v . ) require elucidating . scoparia ( s . l . ) humilialis hudson ( not illustrated ) may also fall within the range of variation of leptalea , and further work is needed . see also under e . atmogramma .
scoparia ( s . l . ) sp . a . this widespread , unnamed species is scoparia minualis in the sense of meyrick ( 1885 : 83 ) and of hudson ( 1928 : 185 and pl . xxii fig . 37 ) ( a misidentification of walker’s species ) ; dugdale ( 1988 : 157 ) calls hudson’s figure a ‘poor likeness’ ( of minualis ) ; but it is a good likeness of this unnamed species . the true eudonia minualis ( walker ) was described and illustrated by hudson under the name scoparia chimeria meyrick , a junior synonym . scoparia ( s . l . ) sp . a has not been dissected but probably belongs in eudonia .
eudonia legnota ( meyrick , 1884 ) . e . luminatrix ( meyrick ) is subsumed under this name here based on male genitalia of the lectotypes and other material . specimens with more whitish scaling between the antemedian and postmedian lines on the forewing have been referred to legnota , and darker specimens to luminatrix , but this character is variable .
eudonia manganeutis ( meyrick , 1884 ) . this species has been confused in collections with e . philerga and e . sp . a , but the male genitalia are distinctive . it is apparently rare , and is difficult to recognise without dissection , but the forewing is narrower than that of philerga , and the markings less distinct , apart from the white antemedian line . there are no orange scales on thorax and forewing ( cf . e . sp . a ) .
eudonia dochmia ( meyrick , 1905 ) . this species has remained poorly understood since its description , and hudson ( 1928 ) knew it only from the type locality , lake wakatipu ol . the holotype has very characteristic male genitalia , allowing recognition of this taxon as a surprisingly widespread and variable species occurring almost throughout new zealand . scoparia ( s . l . ) sinuata philpott ( not illustrated ) appears indistinguishable from dochmia on external characters , but the type has not been dissected .
eudonia oculata ( philpott , 1927 ) . this species and e . parca ( philpott ) are very closely related and similar , but the male genitalia indicate that they are distinct . the slightly broader forewing of parca may be a useful superficial character to distinguish the two ( see photos ) , but further work is needed , since e . parca appears very poorly represented in collections . note that the illustrated males of e . oculata and e . parca have both lost their labial palpi .
eudonia cymatias ( meyrick , 1884 ) . specimens with a well - marked discal forewing streak have been treated as a separate species , e . bisinualis ( hudson ) ; such specimens are , in fact , much more frequent than those ( like the cymatias lectotype ) without the streak . however , since the forms are otherwise identical , superficially and in male genitalia , and apparent intermediates in wing pattern occur , the two are here treated as a single species under the name e . cymatias .
eudonia ustiramis ( meyrick , 1931 ) . this species has barely been recognised since its original description but the male genitalia of the holotype have been compared with those of specimens in nzac , and this is now identified as the very locally common species of northland and auckland gumland heaths treated by hoare ( 2011 ) as ‘ scoparia ( s . l . ) sp . 1’ . wing pattern is variable and the holotype has exceptionally strong dark longitudinal forewing streaking . possibly more widespread in infertile habitats .
scoparia ( s . l . ) indistinctalis ( walker , 1863 ) . the name indistinctalis was for many years applied incorrectly to eudonia rakaiensis ( knaggs ) , following a misidentification by meyrick ( 1885 ) . the female type specimen of indistinctalis is worn , but retains sufficient diagnostic characters : the type locality is auckland , and the only grey species known from auckland with long basal and discal forewing streaks has gone under the name scoparia ( s . l . ) autumna philpott . since female genitalia of autumna match those of the indistinctalis type , the two are considered conspecific here , under the latter name .
scoparia ( s . l . ) vulpecula meyrick , 1927 . this species , described only from the female , resembles eudonia feredayi in colour , but has a longer , narrower forewing and a much more sinuous forewing costa . the genitalia have not been investigated , but it could prove to be a montane form ( or sister - species ) of e . feredayi , since the females of other species ( e . g . e . trivirgata ( felder & rogenhofer ) ) apparently vary in wing - shape through their range . a single worn female specimen perhaps referable to vulpecula was found in the series of e . feredayi in nzac , but is not illustrated . the male of vulpecula has never been recognised .
eudonia axena ( meyrick , 1884 ) . this species has not been satisfactorily distinguished from e . crypsinoa ( meyrick ) and e . cyptastis ( meyrick ) ; the genitalia of the lectotypes of all three show no definite differences . however , they are very tentatively retained as separate species here , with the name axena applied to weakly - marked populations from the north - western south island ( nelson to arthur’s pass ) , which tend to be somewhat larger and broader - winged ; crypsinoa is restricted to weakly - marked narrower - winged populations from canterbury ( east of the main divide ) to southland ; cyptastis refers to specimens with distinct cross - lines and a short basal forewing streak occurring from the central north island south . perhaps only one or two very variable species are involved . see also under e . crypsinoa .
unfortunately , it has not been possible within the constraints of this project to search through the scopariinae holdings of new zealand collections other than nzac , and so some probably valid species not recognised in nzac , or represented only by material in poor condition , are not in the image gallery . these are mostly rare or localised taxa , and / or species that have still not been confidently recognised since their description . the following potentially valid species are currently omitted ( comments on many of these are given below ) : eudonia alopecias ( meyrick ) ; e . campbellensis ( munroe ) ( campbell island only ) ; e . epicremna ( meyrick ) ( not recognised in nzac ) ; e . gressitti ( munroe ) ( campbell island only ) ; e . linealis ( walker ) ; e . oreas ( meyrick ) ; scoparia apheles meyrick ( not found in nzac ) ; s . parachalca ( meyrick ) ; s . ( s . l . ) contexta philpott ( not in nzac ) ; s . ( s . l . ) crepuscula salmon ; s . ( s . l . ) monochroma salmon ; s . ( s . l . ) vulpecula meyrick .
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urltoken
[ read before the philosophical institute of canterbury , 7 th august , 1884 . ]
family occupies an unusually prominent position in new zealand , and the principal genera attain here their maximum of development . the development is however mainly specific , and there is no large number of peculiar genera , as in some other groups . the family is undoubtedly of very ancient type , and the food of the larvæ , which probably consists wholly of mosses , will allow of a possible origin earlier in time than the appearance of flowering plants . it is probably due to this persistence of habit that the type has undergone so little generic modification ; specific change being sufficient to allow of all the adaptation required . the distribution of the family seems chiefly limited by the suitability of the climate for the growth of their food - plants ; hence they are found principally in cool temperate latitudes , or at considerable elevations .
as i have elsewhere pointed out , the oldest form of the family is probably nyctarcha , which is a singular synthetic type . xeroscopa is an early off - shoot from scoparia , and tetraprosopus a development of xeroscopa .
owing to the small range of colour , and great similarity of markings , which are moreover in most of the species more or less confused and ill - defined , being composed of black , white , and grey scales variously blended , the group is a difficult one either to study or to describe . in order to make this monograph more comprehensive , i have therefore included all the australian species of scoparia , tetraprosopus , and xeroscopa ( which are , however , much less numerous than those from new zealand ) , indicating them by an asterisk ( * ) as not occurring in new zealand . no species of the family is common to both regions . the australian species of nyctarcha and eclipsiodes , which i have already described elsewhere , and which are moreover very distinct from anything occurring in new zealand , i have not thought it necessary to include .
as the descriptions of walker , knaggs , and butler are hardly in any instance sufficiently precise for determination , i may add that the species of walker and butler have been identified from the types , and those of knaggs from types preserved by mr . r . w . fereday .
labial palpi , with hairs of second joint produced in front beneath . maxillary palpi large , triangularly scaled , porrected , not resting on labial palpi . forewings with 7 and 10 separate from 9 , 8 and 9 stalked . hindwings with 4 and 5 from a point or stalked ( except in nyctarcha ) ; lower median without basal pectination ( except in eclipsiodes and nyctarcha ) . genital uncus of male generally well developed .
distinguished from all the other families of the pyralidina by the character of the maxillary palpi , which are large , porrected , triangularly dilated , and obliquely truncate , standing out apart from the labial palpi ; differing also from the crambidæ ( which some species closely approach in type ) in the absence of the basal pectination on the lower median vein of the hindwings ( with the exceptions noted above ) , from the botydidæ in the development of the genital uncus of the male , and from the pyralididæ by the separation of vein 7 of the forewings from the stalk of 8 and 9 .
the following tabulation includes all the five australian genera , of which only three are represented in new zealand .
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forehead vertical . ocelli present . tongue well developed . antennæ short , less than 2 / 3 of forewings , in male stout , filiform , evenly ciliated ( ¼–1 / 3 ) , above pubescent ( n . atra ) or rough - scaled . labial palpi moderate , straight , porrected , second joint with dense projecting scales beneath , terminal joint exposed , thick , somewhat expanded towards apex , and obliquely truncate . maxillary palpi nearly as long as labial , terminally expanded , truncate . posterior tibiæ with outer spurs half inner ; legs short . abdomen short , stout . forewings with vein 11 moderately oblique . hindwings somewhat broader than forewings ; 3 , 4 , 5 approximated at base ; lower median and 1 b each with a strong pectination towards base , surface otherwise without hairs .
consists at present of two australian and one new zealand species , one of the australian species ( n . ophideres , walk . ) extending also into india and madagascar . the genus presents a singular combination of characters , and probably approximates to the ancestral form of the scopariadæ , crambidæ , and botydidæ . the new zealand species is characterized by the dark fuscous hindwings , which in the two australian species are partly orange .
( orosana atra , butl . , pro . zool . soc . lond . , 1877 . )
the markings of the under surface in this instance doubtless indicate the original type .
castle hill and lake wakatipu ( 1 , 200 to 3 , 000 feet ) , in december and january , on dry grassy slopes ; difficult to see ; six specimens .
forehead vertical . ocelli present . tongue well developed . antennæ moderate , 2 / 3 of forewings , in male filiform , evenly ciliated ( ¼–1 ½ ) . labial palpi moderate or long , straight , porrected , second joint beneath with long dense projecting scales , terminal joint moderate , exposed or resting in scales of second . maxillary palpi rather long , triangularly dilated . posterior tibiæ with outer spurs half inner . abdomen moderate . forewings with vein 11 rather oblique . hindwings from somewhat broader to nearly twice as broad as forewings ; 3 remote from 4 , 4 and 5 stalked or from a point ; lower median naked ; discal area above it without hairs ; internal area loosely haired .
although of universal distribution , this genus is little developed except in temperate latitudes , hardly occurring in the tropics except at a considerable elevation . over thirty european species are known , and scattered forms are found in most other regions . australia possesses at present sixteen , which number will be considerably increased , especially from the tasmanian mountains . in comparison with these the development of the genus in new zealand is extraordinary , forty - two species being here given , and it is unquestionable that the actual number is much larger , as each mountain seems to possess peculiar species . scoparia is in fact the largest genus of lepidoptera in new zealand .
notwithstanding the extent of the genus , i can find no structural characters for subdividing it into groups . the palpi vary in length , and the antennæ present some differences , being generally rough above , but sometimes pubescent , or serrate at joints , with the ciliations of variable length , but these points are simply specific . veins 4 and 5 of the hindwings are either from a point or stalked , but both forms often occur in the same species . roughly , the first 27 species belong to the same group as the european forms , being always of comparatively small size , with the typical markings well developed , whilst the remainder constitute a more specially new zealand group , usually of larger size , and more crambideous appearance , with the normal markings often obsolete , the palpi longer and hindwings broader ; but there is no definite distinction .
in the following descriptions the length of the labial palpi is stated in terms of the breadth of the eye , and the length of the antennal ciliations in terms of the breadth of the stalk ; the breadth of the hindwings in terms of the breadth of the forewings . typically , the markings consist of three transverse lines and three discal spots—viz . , ( 1 ) the first line , at about 2 / 5 , usually oblique and somewhat curved , more or less indented in middle ; ( 2 ) the orbicular spot , usually round , shortly beyond first line above middle ; ( 3 ) the claviform spot , usually linear , similarly placed below middle ; ( 4 ) the reniform spot , usually 8 - shaped , in disk beyond and above middle ; ( 5 ) the second line , at about 4 / 5 , tolerably parallel to hindmargin , usually somewhat curved , generally sinuate inwards below costa and above inner margin ; ( 6 ) the subterminal line , placed between second line and hindmargin , curved inwards in middle , often interrupted .
male , female . —15–16 mm . head , palpi , antennæ , and thorax dark fuscous mixed with black ; palpi 2 ½ ; antennal ciliations ½ . abdomen grey . legs black , apex of joints white . forewings elongate , triangular , costa slightly arched , apex rounded , hindmargin obliquely rounded ; dark slaty - fuscous ; markings black , ill - defined ; a short interrupted streak from base ; first line somewhat curved ; orbicular and claviform irregular , somewhat linear , touching first line ; reniform represented by a trifurcate mark ; second line almost rectangularly bent in disc , followed on costa by some white scales ; veins partially marked with black posteriorly : cilia dark slaty - fuscous , with a black line , tips pale . hindwings 1 1 / 3 pale whitish - grey , towards hindmargin grey ; cilia grey - whitish , with two faint grey lines .
male . —14–17 mm . head white . palpi 1 2 / 3 , dark fuscous , basal and terminal joints white . antennæ white , annulated with dark fuscous , ciliations ½ . thorax white , irrorated with dark fuscous . abdomen whitish - grey . legs dark fuscous , banded with white . forewings elongate - triangular , costa slightly arched , apex rounded , hindmargin obliquely rounded ; white , irregularly irrogated with fuscous and dark fuscous ; a short dark fuscous streak from base of costa parallel to inner margin ; first line white , oblique , rather indented , posteriorly margined with dark fuscous , which forms a triangular spot on costa ; orbicular elongate , touching first line , dark fuscous ; claviform strong , elongate , touching first line , dark fuscous ; reniform represented by a quadrifurcate dark fuscous mark , upper fork sometimes filled with fuscous ; a small dark fuscous spot on costa somewhat beyond middle ; second line white , tolerably distinctly margined with
dark fuscous ; subterminal line white , somewhat broader and more ill - defined , leaving a dark fuscous triangular blotch on hindmargin : cilia white , with a basal row of dark fuscous spots , and posterior row of grey spots . hindwings 1 1 / 3 , pale whitish - grey , greyer on hindmargin and towards apex ; cilia whitish , with a grey line .
not closely resembling any other , and recognizable by the character of the spots , which are conspicuous though not sharply defined .
sydney , new south wales , from may to august , so that it is a winter species ; five specimens .
a very distinct and elegant species , known by the whitish - ochreous colour and small round detached orbicular and claviform ; the hindwings are narrower than usual .
sydney , new south wales , in april , on sandstone rock - faces , to which its colouring is adapted ; two specimens .
female . —15–17 mm . head white , back of crown , a spot beneath each antenna , and a dot in middle of face black . palpi 1 2 / 3 , black , basal and terminal joints white . antennæ dark grey . thorax white , anterior margin irregularly black . abdomen ochreous - white , apex more ochreous . legs
immediately known by the strongly contrasted and sharply defined markings , and the fusion of orbicular and claviform into a single blotch .
sydney , new south wales , in october , on tree - trunks ; three specimens .
nearly allied to s . exhibitalis , but smaller , with the markings less sharply contrasted , and without the defined white and black markings of head and thorax .
mount gambier , south australia , in november ; one specimen on a tree - trunk .
resembles s . aphrodes in the defined markings of the head , but larger , with the markings of the wings less clearly contrasted , and immediately separated by the dark suffusion of the inner margin between first and second lines .
sydney , new south wales , from august to october ; five specimens , mostly at light .
male , female . —20–21 mm . head and thorax whitish , densely mixed with dark fuscous . palpi 2 ¾ , white , second and terminal joints with blackish basal bands . antennæ grey , obscurely annulated with paler ; ciliations ½ . abdomen grey , segmental margins ochreous - white . legs
white , tarsi and tibiæ banded with blackish . forewings rather elongate - triangular , costa slightly arched , apex rounded , hindmargin obliquely rounded ; white , densely irrorated with black , sometimes partially suffused with light fuscous ; several small black spots towards base ; first line well - defined , somewhat curved , sharply indented , posteriorly strongly black - margined ; orbicular moderate , circular , black , whitish - centred , almost touching first line ; claviform quadrate , black , detached ; reniform indistinct , irregularly 8 - shaped , lower half elongate , whitish , partially black - margined , posteriorly strongly , touching a small blackish spot on costa beyond middle ; second line well - defined , anteriorly black - margined ; terminal space wholly dark , except rather broad distinct subterminal line , entire or shortly interrupted , not touching second line : cilia white , sharply barred with dark grey , bars partially obsolete on terminal half . hindwings 1 ¼ , whitish - grey , becoming fuscous - grey posteriorly , postmedian line faintly darker ; cilia white , with a well - defined grey line .
this and the following species are characterized by the intensity of the irroration and markings , and especially by the subquadrate detached claviform .
sydney , new south wales , in september ; mount wellington ( 1 , 000 feet ) , tasmania , from december to february ; four specimens .
nearly allied to s . syntaracta , but distinguished by the much narrower wings , smaller size , greater concentration of the black colouring , and darker margin of hindwings .
mount wellington ( 3 , 200 feet ) , tasmania , in december ; one specimen .
male , female . —18–21 mm . head , palpi , and thorax whitish , densely mixed with dark fuscous ; palpi 3 . antennæ grey ; ciliations ½ . abdomen grey , segmental margins whitish . legs dark fuscous irrorated with white , apex of joints white . forewings rather elongate - triangular , costa slightly arched , apex rounded , hindmargin almost straight , oblique ; fuscous - grey , irregularly sprinkled with white , veins obscurely lined with blackish ; several small cloudy blackish spots towards base ; first line narrow , whitish , ill - defined , posteriorly obscurely blackish - margined , moderately curved , somewhat indented ; orbicular moderate , circular , outlined with black , detached ; claviform smaller , round , almost wholly blackish , touching first line ; reniform obscure , tolerably 8 - shaped , obscurely blackish - margined ;
second line white , tolerably well - defined , obscurely dark - margined ; subterminal very ill - defined , cloudy , whitish , interrupted above middle , not touching second line : cilia ochreous - whitish , obscurely barred with grey , and with two grey lines . hindwings 1 ¼ , light grey , darker posteriorly ; cilia whitish , with a well - defined grey line .
compared with the neighbouring species a rather large and dull - coloured insect , with the lines more abruptly bent and angular than usual .
a comparatively short - winged species , allied to s . eremitis , but much smaller and more distinctly marked , the dark markings much blacker .
mount wellington , tasmania , from 3 , 000 to 3 , 800 feet , in december ; rather common , sitting on the rocks and readily disturbed .
male . —15 mm . head , palpi , and thorax grey , mixed with reddish - ochreous and black ; palpi 2 ¼ . antennæ grey ; ciliations ½ . abdomen grey . legs white , tibiæ and tarsi banded with dark grey . forewings triangular , costa hardly arched , apex rounded , hindmargin straight , rather strongly oblique ; fuscous - grey , with a few black and bluish - white scales ; a small reddish - ochreous spot near base ; first line not paler , curved ,
obscurely blackish - margined posteriorly ; orbicular and claviform irregular , reddish - ochreous , partially black - margined , touching first line ; reniform subquadrate , reddish - ochreous , anteriorly and posteriorly blackish - margined ; second line not paler , anteriorly blackish - margined ; terminal area rather densely irrorated with black , except subterminal line , touching second line in middle : cilia whitish - grey , with a broad interrupted dark grey line . hindwings 1 ¼ , grey , becoming darker on hindmargin ; cilia grey - whitish , with a grey line .
a peculiar and distinct species , with hindmargin of forewings more oblique than usual .
mount wellington , tasmania , ( probably about 2 , 000 feet ) , in february ; one specimen .
nearly allied to s . philerga , but readily distinguished by the longer and narrower forewings , and whitish hindwings , as well as the pubescence and longer ciliations of antennæ .
lake wakatipu , at 5 , 000 feet , in december ; one specimen .
male , female . —17–21 mm . head and thorax whitish , mixed with fuscous , and irrorated with black . palpi 2 ⅓ , dark fuscous , somewhat mixed with white , basal joint white . antennæ dark fuscous ; ciliations ⅔ . abdomen light fuscous - grey , segmental margins ochreous - whitish . legs ochreous - whitish , tibiæ and tarsi banded with dark fuscous . forewings moderately
elongate , triangular , costa gently arched , apex rounded , hindmargin oblique , faintly sinuate ; white , mixed with grey , and coarsely irrorated with black ; a thick interrupted obscure blackish streak from base of costa ; first line white , obscure , somewhat curved , sharply indented , posteriorly blackish - margined ; orbicular round , whitish , blackish - margined ; claviform roundish , moderate or large , blackish , often suffused , tolerably detached ; reniform 8 - shaped , white , blackish - margined , connected with a small blackish triangular spot on costa ; second line white , tolerably distinct , anteriorly dark - margined ; terminal space wholly dark , except moderate tolerably defined subterminal line , entire or interrupted , touching second line in middle ; a hindmarginal row of white dots : cilia whitish , obscurely barred with grey , with an interrupted blackish and posterior grey line . hindwings 1 ¼ , pale whitish - grey , slightly ochreous - tinged , in female rather greyer , postmedian line and hindmargin obscurely darker grey ; cilia whitish , with a grey line spotted with darker .
a dull , obscure - looking species , but with the reniform very clearly defined .
auckland , hamilton , christchurch , nelson , otira river , dunedin , and lake wakatipu ; common in forest , in december , january , march , and april . near lake wakatipu i took one specimen at an elevation of 4 , 000 feet .
male , female . —13–14 mm . head , palpi , and thorax whitish - ochreous suffused with black ; palpi 2 . antennæ greyish - ochreous ; ciliations ½ . abdomen ochreous - whitish . legs ochreous - white , tibiæ and tarsi banded with dark fuscous . forewings triangular , costa slightly arched , apex rounded , hindmargin straight , oblique ; ochreous - whitish ; basal half , bounded by a line parallel to hindmargin , suffused with blackish , except on an oval ochreous spot near middle of base ; a moderately broad fascia - like reddish - ochreous suffusion rather beyond and parallel to posterior edge of blackish patch ; an irregular reddish - ochreous suffusion towards middle of hindmargin ; a rather small triangular blackish spot on costa before apex , and some blackish scales on anal angle : cilia ochreous - whitish , mixed with reddish ochreous beneath and blackish above apex . hindwings 1 ¼ , whitish ; postmedian line and apical suffusion faintly grey ; cilia whitish .
arthur ' s pass ( 3 , 000 feet ) , in january ; three specimens .
male , female . —17–19 mm . head , palpi , and thorax ochreous - fuscous , mixed with whitish - ochreous and dark fuscous ; palpi 2 ½ , basal joint white .
this and the two following species are easily recognized by the yellow - ochreous blotch above lower portion of subterminal line ; s . minusculalis differs from the other two by its larger size , well - defined white postmedian band , and uniform dark suffusion of the whole anterior half of wing .
larva rather stout , cylindrical , wrinkled , somewhat attenuated towards extremities ; light whitish - brown ; spots large , round , brassy - fuscous , - each containing a black dot ; head ochreous - brown ; second segment dark fuscous . feeds in moss on tree - trunks ; pupa in same position ; taken in january , almost full - grown .
akaroa , bealey river ( 2 , 100 feet ) , and dunedin ; tolerably common in forest in january and february .
male , female . —15 ½–17 mm . head and thorax clear pale whitish - ochreous , with a few fuscous scales , shoulders with a small dark fuscous spot . palpi 2 ½–3 , ochreous - whitish , somewhat mixed with dark fuscous , base white . antennæ whitish , annulated with dark fuscous ; ciliations ⅔ . abdomen ochreous - whitish . legs whitish , tibiæ and tarsi banded with dark fuscous . forewings somewhat elongate , triangular , costa gently arched , apex rounded , hindmargin rather oblique , distinctly sinuate ; whitish - ochreous , mixed with pale yellowish , and thinly irrorated with dark fuscous ; basal area mixed with black , with a suffused black streak from
characterized by the concentration of the dark suffusion into a costal blotch ; differing from s . minusculalis by the distinct white first line , from s . chimeria by the white costal spot before second line .
christchurch , bealey river ( 2 , 100 feet ) , and otira gorge ( 1 , 600 feet ) , amongst forest in january ; eight specimens .
ochreous - yellow ; a terminal row of white semioval spots : cilia whitish , obscurely barred with grey , with a dark grey interrupted line . hindwings 1 ¼ , whitish - grey , postmedian line and hindmargin obscurely darker grey ; cilia grey - whitish , with a dark grey line .
taranaki , palmerston , masterton , christchurch , akaroa , dunedin , and lake wakatipu , not met with above 1 , 000 feet ; common in forest from december to march .
allied to the three preceding , but without the ochreous blotch , and specially characterized by the remarkably short antennal ciliations .
male . —17 ½ mm . head and thorax whitish - ochreous , shoulders dark fuscous mixed with black . palpi 2 ¼ , ochreous - whitish , second and terminal joints with dark fuscous basal bands , basal joint white . antennæ whitish - ochreous , ringed with dark fuscous ; joints short , subdentate , ciliations 1 . abdomen whitish - ochreous , irrorated with fuscous . legs ochreous - whitish , irrorated with dark fuscous , tibiæ and tarsi banded with dark fuscous . forewings triangular , costa gently arched , apex rounded , hindmargin rather obliquely rounded ; whitish - ochreous , scantily irrorated with fuscous and dark fuscous ; a sharply defined oblique black spot from base of costa , inner edge straight , outer irregular ; first line indicated only by obscure dark posterior margin , slightly curved , somewhat indented , followed on
costa by a sharply - defined moderate triangular black spot ; orbicular round , pale , broadly black - margined , touching apex of costal spot ; claviform round , upper half margined with black , lower half obsolete , detached ; a very small dark fuscous spot on costa beyond middle , between which and first line the costa is narrowly suffused with fuscous ; reniform large , double , shaped like two adjacent figures of 8 , both irregularly black - margined , adjacent margins confluent ; second line pale , anteriorly dark - margined , forming a very small blackish spot on costa ; terminal space suffused with brownish - ochreous ; subterminal line cloudy , ochreous - whitish , somewhat interrupted , not touching second line ; hindmargin suffusedly blackish , with a row of ochreous - whitish marks : cilia pale whitish - ochreous , with a well - defined dark grey line and very faint grey posterior line . hindwings 1 ¼ , very pale whitish grey , central lunule obscurely indicated , postmedian line and a narrow hindmarginal suffusion distinct , darker grey ; cilia ochreous - whitish , with a distinct grey line .
a distinct species , characterized by the sharply defined black costal markings , double reniform , and relatively long antennal ciliations .
a very obscure species , best indicated by the fine dentation of the second and subterminal lines .
arthur ' s pass ( 2 , 500 feet ) and mount hutt , in january ; three specimens .
male . —15–16 mm . head , palpi , and thorax blackish - grey , irrorated with white ; palpi 2 ¼ , basal joint white ; thorax with a small posterior ochreous - yellow spot . antennæ dark grey ; ciliations ½ . abdomen fuscous - grey . legs dark fuscous , irrorated with white , apex of joints white . forewings triangular , costa slightly arched , apex rounded , hind - margin slightly rounded , rather oblique ; blackish , finely irrorated with white ; a small ochreous - yellow spot near base , followed by a faint whitish transverse line ; first line whitish , slender , ill - defined , slightly curved , posteriorly indistinctly dark - margined ; orbicular and claviform both circular , ochreous - yellow , dark - margined , touching first line ; reniform 8 - shaped , ochreous - yellow , black - margined , each half containing a white dot , the lower one larger ; a small ill - defined whitish costal spot above reniform ; second line whitish , ill - defined , obscurely dark - margined , touching similar subterminal line in middle : cilia whitish , with two cloudy dark grey lines , and obscurely barred with grey . hindwings 1 ⅓ fuscous - grey , becoming darker posteriorly ; cilia grey , with a darker line , tips whitish .
easily recognized by the ochreous - yellow spots , and white dots in reniform .
christchurch in march , and lake wakatipu ( 1 , 000 feet ) in december , amongst bush ; two specimens .
female . —17 mm . head and thorax ochreous - fuscous . palpi 2 ¾ , dark fuscous mixed with white , basal joint white . antennæ dark fuscous . abdomen grey , terminal segment very elongate , ovipositor long . legs grey irrorated with whitish . forewings elongate - oblong , slightly dilated , costa hardly arched , apex obtuse , hindmargin rather oblique , slightly rounded ; fuscous , with scattered pale ochreous - yellowish scales ; a cloudy blackish spot on inner margin near base , above which is a line of whitish scales ; a longitudinal median black streak from base to ⅓ a strong semicircular black streak from costa at ⅓ , passing through middle of disc and returning to costa at ⅔ , obscurely margined beneath with whitish , the included space also irrorated with whitish ; subterminal line indicated by a few whitish scales : cilia whitish - fuscous with two cloudy darker lines , tips whitish . hindwings 1 ½ , fuscous - grey , becoming - dark fuscous towards hindmargin ; cilia as in forewings .
arthur ' s pass ( 3 , 000 feet ) in january ; one specimen .
female . —13–17 mm . head , palpi , and thorax fuscous or fuscous - grey , slightly mixed with grey - whitish ; palpi 2 ½ , basal joint white . antennæ dark fuscous . abdomen light grey . legs whitish , irrorated with fuscous . forewings elongate , tolerably oblong , costa almost straight , apex obtuse , hindmargin straight , rather oblique ; light fuscous , thinly and irregularly irrorated with whitish and darker fuscous ; first line obscurely whitish , posteriorly rather broadly and suffusedly dark - margined , strongly curved ; orbicular and claviform obsolete ; reniform subquadrate , cloudy , dark fuscous ; second line whitish , anteriorly dark - margined , rectilinear , obtusely angulated above middle ; subterminal line obsolete : cilia light fuscous mixed with whitish . hindwings 1 ½ , light grey or fuscous - grey , rather darker posteriorly ; cilia fuscous - whitish , with a fuscous basal line .
allied to s . hemicycla , which it resembles in form , but quite differently marked .
castle hill ( 3 , 000 feet ) , on grassy slopes in january ; two specimens .
readily recognized by the intensity of marking , yellowish streaks on veins , reniform half white and half yellow , angulated first line , and pubescent antennæ of male .
arthur ' s pass ( 3 , 000 feet , and one specimen at 1 , 500 ) , in january ; common .
this and the following species have the hindwings proportionately narrower than in any other of the genus , and are characterized by the yellowish tint of their pale markings ; s . anaplecta especially also by the pale dorsal spots , and the ochreous - whitish dark - margined hindwings .
mount wellington , tasmania , at 3 , 200 feet , in december ; two specimens .
male , female . —9–12 mm . head pale yellow , with a dark fuscous streak across crown . palpi 2 ½ , dark fuscous , apex and basal joint whitish - yellow . antennæ whitish - yellow , annulated with dark fuscous ; ciliations ⅔ . thorax whitish - yellow , a central spot and one on each shoulder blackish . abdomen dark fuscous - grey . legs whitish - yellow , banded with dark fuscous . forewings triangular , costa almost straight , apex rounded , hindmargin obliquely rounded ; rather dark fuscous , irrorated with blackish ; a pale yellow streak from middle of base to ¼ of inner margin ; a pale yellow dot on costa near base ; first line sharply defined , pale yellow , regularly curved , not indented ; orbicular and claviform absent ; a cloudy pale yellow spot above middle of inner margin ; reniform narrow , pale yellow , sometimes touching second
line beneath ; second line strong , pale yellow , almost straight , somewhat sinuate inwards below middle ; subterminal line narrow , indistinct , pale yellow , hardly interrupted , not touching second line : cilia with basal third dark grey , remainder whitish - yellowish , with a grey posterior line . hindwings hardly over 1 , fuscous - grey , becoming dark fuscous towards hindmargin ; cilia grey - whitish , with two cloudy grey lines .
the smallest species of the genus known to me , not to be confused with any other .
sydney , new south wales ; fernshaw , victoria ; hobart , evandale , and deloraine , tasmania ; wirrabara forest and mount gambier , south australia ; from august to december , and in march , common in damp sheltered places , especially under wet and overhanging rock - faces .
palmerston , makatoku , christchurch , akaroa , and dunedin , amongst forest , in february and march ; eight specimens .
( scoparia ustimacula , feld . , reis . nov . , pl . cxxxv . , 17 ; scoparia conifera , butl . , cist . ent . , ii . , 493 . )
also a very distinct and handsome species , characterized by the two conspicuous black fasciæ from costa to disc , and unusually long antennal ciliations , the longest in the genus . butler ' s description is hardly recognizable , but is intended for this species , as i have seen his type in the british museum .
castle hill ( mr . j . d . enys ) and dunedin ( mr . a . purdie ) , probably amongst bush ; i have not met with the species myself ; three specimens .
( scoparia pongalis , feld . , reis . nov . , pl . cxxxvii . , 33 . )
male , female . —15–19 mm . head , antennæ , and thorax whitish - grey , slightly ochreous - tinged , shoulders narrowly black ; antennal ciliations , ½ . palpi 3 , dark fuscous , apex and basal joint whitish . abdomen ochreous - whitish . legs grey - whitish , tibiæ and tarsi somewhat suffused with darker grey . forewings somewhat elongate , triangular , costa slightly arched , apex obtuse , hindmargin rather oblique , faintly sinuate ; pale whitish - grey , slightly ochreous - tinged , with a few scattered grey and black scales ; first line only indicated by a short cloudy blackish oblique streak from inner
margin ; costa black from base to beyond middle , at first very narrowly , but shortly dilating to form a triangular sharply - defined patch , of which apex is in middle of disc ; claviform dot - like , black , or sometimes obsolete ; reniform 8 - shaped , obscurely outlined with blackish ; second line not paler , but distinctly dark - margined , somewhat bent but hardly sinuate ; a row of black dots immediately before hindmargin ; cilia grey - whitish , with a grey basal line . hindwings 1 ¼ , in male whitish , in female very pale whitish - grey ; postmedian line and hindmargin very faintly greyer ; cilia whitish , with a faint grey line .
very distinct by the peculiar black costal marking . felder ' s figure is very coarse , but indicates this correctly .
the blackish suffusion appears to form a very large blotch on costa beyond first line , nearly reaching to inner margin ; this distinguishes the species from all others .
arthur ' s pass ( 1 , 700 to 2 , 600 feet ) and lake wakatipu ( 4 , 200 feet ) , frequenting rocks in sheltered situations or amongst bush , in december and january ; rather common .
allied to s . melanægis , but much narrower - winged ( though the male may probably not differ so much in this respect ) ; immediately separated by the very different form of the black costal blotch , which does not pass downwards beyond middle of wing , and therefore appears very much more compressed longitudinally .
castle hill ( 3 , 000 feet ) , in january ; one specimen .
margined , forming a small blackish spot on costa ; terminal space grey , veins suffused with black ; subterminal line cloudy , whitish , somewhat interrupted , not touching second line : cilia whitish , with two dark grey lines . hindwings 1 ¼ , very pale whitish - grey , lunule , postmedian line , and hindmargin hardly darker ; cilia whitish , with two grey lines .
of somewhat doubtful affinity ; recognizable by the rather broad distinct lines , dark suffusion towards costa , and clear white lower half of reniform .
bealey river , amongst forest ( 2 , 100 feet ) , in january ; one specimen .
a sharply marked species , conspicuously distinct by the straight first line , and absence of all the discal spots .
lake wakatipu , in january ( mr . r . w . fereday ) ; two specimens .
male , female . —23–26 mm . head pale ochreous , face black . palpi 2 ¼ , black , mixed with white , basal joint white . antennæ black , beneath ochreous - whitish . thorax white , anterior half , a square central spot , and posterior extremity suffused with black . abdomen whitish - ochreous , slightly irrorated with grey , segmental margins more ochreous towards base . legs white , thinly sprinkled with black , tibiæ and tarsi banded with black . forewings elongate , triangular , costa hardly arched , apex rounded , hindmargin sinuate , slightly oblique ; white , irregularly irrorated with black scales which are ochreous at their base ; a triangular blackish spot on costa
a fine species , differing from all others by the peculiar prismatic spots preceding and following reniform .
hamilton , palmerston , napier , wellington , christchurch , and otira gorge , from . december to march , usually near forest ; common where it occurs , but i have never taken it except at lamps , and always females only ; i have seen one male , taken by mr . r . w . fereday , and perhaps sixty females .
( hypochalcia submarginalis , walk . , 48 ; nephopteryx maoriella , ib . , suppl . , 1720 . )
male , female . —21–25 mm . head and thorax whitish , mixed with pale ochreous , densely irrorated with grey or dark fuscous . palpi 3 , dark fuscous mixed with whitish , basal joint white . antennæ grey ; ciliations ½ . abdomen ochreous - whitish suffused with grey , more ochreous towards base . legs whitish irrorated with dark fuscous , tibiæ and tarsi banded with dark fuscous . forewings elongate , triangular , costa hardly arched , apex obtuse , hindmargin very faintly sinuate , rather oblique ; ochreous or ochreous - brown , more or less densely irrorated with black , and sprinkled irregularly with whitish ; a short obscure blackish line from base of costa ; a cloudy whitish line near before and partially confluent with first line , sometimes obsolete ; first line white , cloudy , posteriorly black - margined , somewhat
curved , irregular , bent outwards on inner margin ; orbicular roundish , not pale , finely black - margined , separated from reniform by a round black - margined spot , somewhat paler and more whitish than ground colour ; claviform roundish , cloudy , black , detached ; reniform 8 - shaped , not pale , black - margined ; often a clear whitish or ochreous streak from claviform along submedian fold to second line ; sometimes a rather broad dark fuscous streak above submedian fold from first to second lines ; second line rather narrow , white , dark - margined , generally suffused with ochreous towards submedian fold , rather abruptly bent above middle ; subterminal line broad , very cloudy and indistinct , whitish , interrupted , generally touching second line ; a waved whitish hindmarginal line : cilia pale greyish , with a dark fuscous interrupted line , basal and terminal thirds obscurely barred with whitish . hindwings 1 ½ , whitish - ochreous irrorated with grey ; lunule and postmedian line very indistinctly darker ; a tolerably well - defined dark fuscous hindmarginal band ; cilia whitish , with a dark grey line .
a variable species , but generally distinguishable from its nearest allies by the irregular dark suffusion of the forewings , and the ochreous tinge and dark marginal band of the hindwings .
cambridge , palmerston , wellington , christchurch , castle hill , mount hutt , and lake wakatipu , probably universally distributed at low levels , from november to march , on rock - faces , fences , etc . ; generally abundant .
very obsoletely marked ; distinguished from all by the peculiar dark bluish - grey colouring , adapted for concealment on the bare slaty rocks of the mountain - range , which it exactly resembles . the same tint recurs with the same habits in several species of other groups .
otira gorge , castle hill , lake guyon , and lake wakatipu , in january and february , from 1 , 500 to 3 , 000 feet ; always on bare shingle , usually in the bed of a mountain stream , but sometimes also in a road - way , flying a short distance close to the ground and quickly settling again ; common where it occurs .
female . —25 mm . head , palpi , and thorax grey , densely irrorated with white ; palpi 3 , basal joint white . antennæ grey . abdomen pale grey , suffused with pale ochreous towards base . legs white irrorated with fuscous , tibiæ and tarsi banded with dark fuscous . forewings very elongate , somewhat triangular , costa straight , apex obtuse , hindmargin straight , slightly oblique ; ochreous - grey , densely irrorated with whitish ; lines obsolete ; orbicular and claviform both round , whitish , black - margined ; reniform 8 - shaped , unusually oblique , whitish , obscurely black - margined : cilia ochreous - grey mixed with whitish , with an obscure darker line . hind - wings 1 ⅗ , pale fuscous - grey , hindmargin suffusedly darker ; cilia whitish , with a fuscous line .
characterized by the obsolescence of the usual lines , whilst the spots are all distinctly indicated , round , dark - margined .
( hypochalcia indistinctalis , walk . , 48 ; scoparia rakaiensis , knaggs , ent . mo . mag . , iv . , 80 . )
allied to s . submarginalis , but much lighter and greyer , with the dark suffusion confined to the anal angle , and always separable by the quite different form of the rather sharply angulated first line .
wellington , christchurch , and lake wakatipu ( 1 , 000 feet ) , from december to february , on rocks and fences ; rather common .
characterized by the comparatively small size , narrow pale forewings , dark veins , and wholly whitish hindwings .
wanganui , napier , christchurch , and mount hutt , from january to march ; six specimens .
generally darker , especially towards anal angle ; subterminal line very obscure , whitish , touching second line , not interrupted : cilia whitish , with a grey line . hindwings 1 ¾ , whitish - grey , postmedian line obscurely darker , hindmargin suffused with darker grey ; cilia as in forewings .
easily known by the narrow forewings , very oblique first line , and usually distinct blackish dot - like claviform .
hamilton , napier , masterton , and christchurch , in sandy grassy places or at lamps , from january to march , tolerably common .
male , female . —21–27 mm . quite similar to s . leptalea , but antennæ of male slender , filiform , ciliations 1 ; orbicular tolerably distinct , partially outlined with blackish .
this species so closely resembles s . leptalea , except in the considerably larger size , that it would probably pass for a local variety , but the structural difference in the antennæ of the male must be taken to warrant specific separation . the forewings are perhaps even somewhat narrower proportionately , and the claviform usually more conspicuous .


rawnsley 's bowerbird , also known as rawnsley 's satin bird or the blue regent , is a rare intergeneric hybrid between a satin bowerbird ( ptilonorhynchus violaceus ) and a regent bowerbird ( sericulus chrysocephalus ) .

rawnsley ' s bowerbird

satin bowerbirds can interbreed with regent bowerbirds . the offspring of such pairs are called
rawnsley ' s bowerbirds
.
weirdly enough , at some point , regent bowerbirds started breeding with australian satin bowerbirds ( ptilonorhynchus violaceus ) , and the result was the ultra - rare rawnsley ' s bowerbird .
kalang’s carol seidl has bird - lovers and ornitholigical experts excited - very excited . from her front yard two weeks ago , she photographed an unusual and unfamiliar bird ; the rawnsley bowerbird .
a year later , the first - ever photograph of a rawnsley ' s bowerbird was captured in southeast queensland , and then another was photographed just last year , in new south wales .
frith , c . b . ( 2006 ) . a history and reassessment of the unique but missing specimen of rawnsley’s bowerbird ptilonorhynchus rawnsleyi , diggles 1867 ( aves : ptilonorhynchidae ) . historical biology 18 , 53–64 .
“it came up onto my patio , and i thought it’s not really a regent but it’s not really a satin and afterwards i called my friend kim and she did a bit of looking and read about it on wikipedia and she said ‘wow , this is really rare’ . it’s all quite exciting ! ”
carol posted the image on social media and it was then she began to realise the bird’s rarity . after making inquiries with the australian museum , various experts became involved , notably clifford frith who told carol the rawnsley bowerbird had been sighted twice before , once in 1867 and again in 2004 , both in queensland .
frontal view of a male satin bowerbird ( photo courtesy of a . ross - taylor ) [ o ' reilly ' s plateau , gold coast , qld , november 2013 ]
if anyone in the community suspects they’ve seen this bird , contact clifford frith at frithandfrith @ urltoken or telephone : 07 4096 - 8105 . otherwise more information on the rawnsley bowerbird can be found at www . birdimages . com . au .
frith , c . b . & frith , d . w . ( 1998 ) . hybridization between macgregor’s bowerbird amblyornis macgregoriae and the streaked bowerbird a . subalaris ( ptilonorhynchidae ) of new guinea . bulletin of the british ornithologists’ club 118 , 7–14 .
near - frontal view of a male satin bowerbird ( photo courtesy of a . ross - taylor ) [ o ' reilly ' s plateau , gold coast , qld , november 2013 ]
the vogelkop bowerbird ( amblyornis inornata ) , also known as the vogelkop gardener bowerbird , is a medium - sized , bowerbird of the mountains of the vogelkop peninsula at western new guinea , indonesia .
less than a year after a life - threatening accident , steve plain began his journey to climb the world’s seven summits .
full - frontal view of an adult male satin bowerbird ( photo courtesy of a . ross - taylor ) [ o ' reilly ' s plateau , gold coast , qld , november 2013 ]
a colourful example of carto - marketing , betts’s portable terrestrial globe , an expandable ‘umbrella’ - frame world globe from c . 1920 ;
lateral view of a female satin bowerbird ( photo courtesy of y . english )
the rare bowerbird is a result of hybridisation between the satin bowerbird and the regent bowerbird . both bird species are promiscuous and breed polygynously ( meaning one male mates with more than one female ) and the result is a bird with a predominately all - glossy blue - black satin bowerbird appearance but has a yellow - wing patch and fine yellow tipping to some tail feathers - the trademark colour of the regent bowerbird .
for this species we have recorded the following call ( s ) / song . the interpretation of their meaning is our own ; comments and suggestions for improvement are welcome .
diggles , s . ( 1867 ) . the ornithology of australia : being illustrations of 244 australian birds , with descriptive letter - press , part 15 . author , brisbane .
a bower is not a nest - it is a male bird ' s courting alley . nests , built by female birds , are in fact kept well away from bowers .
various contributors report spotting satin bowerbirds , race
violaceus
, regularly at o ' reilly ' s plateau , lamington np , gold coast , qld and in other locations in south - eastern qld .
because of its unadorned and plain plumage , this bowerbird is relatively safe from persecution . a common species within its limited habitat range , the vogelkop bowerbird is evaluated as least concern on the iucn red list of threatened species .
male satin bowerbird moulting into breeding plumage ( photo courtesy of b . hensen ) [ katoomba , nsw , january 2014 ]
female satin bowerbird hollowing out an apple ( photo courtesy of r . druce ) [ tenterfield , nsw , february 2013 ]
this article was sourced from creative commons attribution - sharealike license ; additional terms may apply . world heritage encyclopedia content is assembled from numerous content providers , open access publishing , and in compliance with the fair access to science and technology research act ( fastr ) , wikimedia foundation , inc . , public library of science , the encyclopedia of life , open book publishers ( obp ) , pubmed , u . s . national library of medicine , national center for biotechnology information , u . s . national library of medicine , national institutes of health ( nih ) , u . s . department of health & human services , and urltoken , which sources content from all federal , state , local , tribal , and territorial government publication portals ( . gov , . mil , . edu ) . funding for urltoken and content contributors is made possible from the u . s . congress , e - government act of 2002 .
frith , c . b . & frith , d . w . ( 1995 ) . hybridization between the great and spotted bowerbird chlamydera nuchalis and c . maculata , the first authenticated hybrid bowerbird ( ptilonorhynchidae ) . memoirs of the queensland museum 38 , 471–476 .
close - up portrait of a female satin bowerbird ( photo courtesy of r . druce ) [ tenterfield , nsw , february 2013 ]
lateral view of a fledgling satin bowerbird ( photo courtesy of b . hensen ) [ st . albans , nsw , december 2013 ]
adventurous satin bowerbird chick outside its nest ( photo courtesy of b . hensen ) [ st . albans , nsw , december 2017 ]
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the genus confusion arises because the juvenile female regent and satin bowerbirds can look alike , paving the way for the male bowerbird confusing genus .
female satin bowerbird in flight , displaying its underwing pattern ( photo courtesy of r . druce ) [ tenterfield , nsw , february 2013 ]
lateral view of an immature satin bowerbird ( photo courtesy of a . ross - taylor ) [ mt . tamborine , qld , december 2013 ]
female satin bowerbird feeding a dependent young ( photo courtesy of r . plumtree ) [ ensay south , east gippsland , vic , march 2017 ]
ephemera and websites relating to the 2013 federal election and the 2014 western australia senate election . the library’s collection of this material was extraordinarily successful , surpassing all previous elections . with the aid of a very effective mass media and social media campaign , the library received political ephemera for 727 house of representatives candidates , 119 senate candidates , and over 50 lobby groups . the library also archived over 550 election - based websites , including the websites of political parties , interest groups and media and social network sites , which are available through the library’s pandora archive ;
the golden - fronted bowerbird ( amblyornis flavifrons ) is a medium - sized , approximately 24 cm long , brown bowerbird . the male is rufous brown with an elongated golden crest extending from its golden forehead , dark grey feet and buffish yellow underparts . the female is an unadorned olive brown bird .
dorsal view of a male satin bowerbird ( photo courtesy of m . eaton ) [ queen mary falls , near killarney , qld , june 2017 ]
the male bowerbird builds a bower from twigs that it finds on the ground and tries to lure the female into its lair with its wooing display .
female satin bowerbird on its nest ( photo courtesy of l . scott ) [ roseberry creek valley , near toonumbar np , northern nsw , january 2017 ]
female satin bowerbird on its nest ( photo courtesy of l . scott ) [ roseberry creek valley , near toonumbar np , northern nsw , december 2017 ]
richly adorned bower of a male satin bowerbird ( photo courtesy of m . eaton ) [ queen mary falls , near killarney , qld , june 2017 ]
fronal view of a female satin bowerbird bringing food for her fledgling chick ( photo courtesy of b . hensen ) [ st . albans , nsw , december 2013 ]
frontal view of a male satin bowerbird in its bower ( photo courtesy of m . eaton ) [ queen mary falls , near killarney , qld , june 2017 ]
female satin bowerbird collecting nesting material , probably for lining the nest ( photo courtesy of a . ross - taylor ) [ mt . tamborine , qld , december 2013 ]
this female satin bowerbird has developed a taste for commercial budgerigar seed mix ( photo courtesy of k . davison ) [ glen iris , melbourne , vic , may 2013 ]
close - up near - lateral view of a male satin bowerbird ( photo courtesy of r . druce ) [ queen mary falls , near killarney , qld , october 2015 ]
close - up near - frontal view of a female satin bowerbird ( photo courtesy of r . druce ) [ queen mary falls , near killarney , qld , october 2015 ]
close - up near - frontal view of a female satin bowerbird ( photo courtesy of m . eaton ) [ queen mary falls , near killarney , qld , june 2017 ]
endemic to australia , the regent bowerbird is found throughout the rainforests and leafy coasts of eastern australia , all the way up in central queensland , and down into new south wales .
close - up lateral portrait of a male satin bowerbird ( photo courtesy of r . plumtree ) [ old gap road , swifts creek north , east gippsland , vic , october 2017 ]
female satin bowerbird , left , with food ( possibly a piece of an apple ) for a dependent juvenile ( photo courtesy of r . druce ) [ tenterfield , nsw , february 2013 ]
close - up near - frontal view of a female satin bowerbird ; note the characteristic dark bill ( photo courtesy of r . plumtree ) [ south ensay , east gippsland , vic , april 2014 ]
during the breeding season , a male will spend approximately three percent of his day constructing and maintaining his bower , built from an array of sticks maneuvered into a short , roofless corridor shape . this is obviously a very small portion of his day , and much less significant than the time other bowerbird species spend on theirs , most likely because the regent bowerbird male likes to begin his courtship routine up in the canopy .
dorsal view of a female satin bowerbird in bad light on a rainy day ; this bird was seen taking the seeds of a birch ( photo courtesy of r . druce ) [ tenterfield , nsw , february 2013 ]
the songs and mimicry skill of this bird are well known among the indigenous peoples . in september 1872 , odoardo beccari became the first naturalist to see the home grounds of this bowerbird in the arfak mountains of irian jaya .
the regent bowerbird ( sericulus chrysocephalus ) is not only incredibly beautiful and intelligent , but the species has given rise to one of the rarest birds in australia - a hybrid of the regent and satin species , which has only ever been photographed twice .
originally described in 1895 based on trade skins , this elusive bird remained a mystery for nearly a hundred years , until 31 january 1981 [ 2 ] when the american ornithologist jared diamond discovered the home ground of the golden - fronted bowerbird at the foja mountains in the papua province of indonesia .
we have not seen a satin bowerbird where we live , at eulah creek , 20 km east of narrabri , nsw , but some locals who have lived in the area for a long time report having seen satin bowerbirds , including males with bowers , in the eulah creek and bullawa creek area in the past .
males go to great lengths to ensure that their displays are in prime condition , replacing old items as needed , as well as trying to outdo their neighbours by finding more spectacular decorations , and arranging them appropriately . as opposed to other species of bowerbirds , such as the satin bowerbird , there is no fixed preference for items of a certain colour , more important being the
novelty value
of the items instead , which can lead to fashion - like trends if males find rare or unusual items ; such rare finds are prime targets for theft by neighboring males . females visit bowers and , depending on whether they like the
treasure trove
on display , will mate with the attendant males . the bower , indeed the male , play no part in nesting and raising the young .
unbeknown to carol , her image is only the second time such a bird has been captured on camera .
“to be honest i didn’t know what i was taking a picture of , but it caught my eye , ” carol said .
carol said the finding had opened a “whole world that i didn’t know existed” and made her realise she takes “for granted , here in the kalang , how many bird species we have and how lucky we are” .
the sighting may not be the end of the matter as cliff has advised carol the bird is a mature male and it probably has a bower somewhere near her residence .
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urltoken
elliot , d . g . ( 1873 ) . a monograph of the paradiseidae . author , london .
frith , c . b . & frith , d . w . ( 2004 ) . the bowerbirds - ptilonorhynchidae . oxford university press , oxford , uk .
gould , j . ( 1869 ) . birds of australia , supplement . author , london .
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a beautifully bound copy of the life and extraordinary adventures of george barrington , now under sentence of transportation… , a rare 1790 penny chapbook about the life of notorious pickpocket and famous convict george barrington . this pamphlet was published after barrington was sentenced in september 1790 and before he was transported on 2 february 1791 ;
records of the worshipful company of stationers 1554–1923 on microfilm . this collection provides access to all the existing records from the archive of the worshipful company of stationers , the guild for the printing and publishing industry in england , from 1554 to 1923 . it is the most important source for the history of the english book trade and provides a unique insight into the day - to - day workings of the printing and publishing world .
rare albumen print carte de visite photographs by johnstone and co . of explorers robert o’hara burke and william john wills , taken in 1860 , prior to their ill - fated expedition ;
twenty black and white exhibition prints of australian soldiers in vietnam by tim page capturing battle scenes , operational conditions and interactions with the vietnamese people .
a highly detailed , very rare six - sheet marine chart , a new chart of the china sea and east india archipelago , produced in 1823 by j . w . norie & co . , showing the east indies and china sea with the malay peninsula , new guinea and northern parts of australia ;
a rare reduced form of a map of the pacific ocean , carta terza generale del asia by robert dudley , produced in the 1660s and intended for an atlas which was never published .
new collaborative projects , such as the history of australian geoscience with geoscience australia , which interviews individuals active in industry , research and exploration from the 1960s . the history of abc rural broadcasting in australia has begun with interviews with former rural department director , graham white , and countrywide presenter and producer neil inall ;
eleven interviews recorded for the vietnamese veterans in australia project , which documents the war experiences of veterans who served with the vietnamese army , and now live in australia .
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an indonesian endemic , the male builds a tower - like
maypole - type
bower decorated with colored fruit .
in december 2005 , an international team of eleven scientists from the united states , australia and indonesia led by bruce beehler traveled to the unexplored areas of foja mountains and took the first photographs of the bird . [ 3 ]
thought extinct , bird found in new guinea
, edmonton journal , 11 november 1981 , p . f7
of new species found in indonesia lost world . news . nationalgeographic . com . february 2006
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cm in length , with the females being slightly smaller . they are mainly olive brown in colour , though somewhat paler below , with no ornamental plumage . this makes the species one of the dullest - coloured members of the
cm in diameter , with an entrance usually propped up by two column - like sticks . a front
lawn
of some square meters area is cleaned of debris and laid out with
avian visual cognition : photo of male arranging red flowers and black beetle elytra . retrieved 2007 - feb - 19 .
photo of male in front of bower by don roberson . note discarded batteries and film casings . retrieved 2007 - feb - 19 .
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was an american zoologist . he was one of the founders of the american museum of natural history in new york , of the american ornithologists ' union and of the société zoologique de france .
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this month we celebrate an event 50 years ago in western new south wales that changed the course of australian history : the discovery of mungo woman .
photographer james dorey offers advice on capturing the perfect shot of our native bees .
with a hefty body , a massive wingspan , and a loud , low - pitched buzz , the tropical carpenter bee can be a pretty intimidating sight .
becky crew is a sydney - based science communicator with a love for weird and wonderful animals . from strange behaviours and special adaptations to newly discovered species and the researchers who find them , her topics celebrate how alien yet relatable so many of the creatures that live amongst us can be .
they display striking sexual dimorphism - the males , as seen above , are covered in silky black plumage , with glossy golden feathers on the ends of their wings , and pouring down over their heads like a thick , molten crown . the females , of course , are a dull , speckledy olive colour .
this has created something of a raiding culture among the rival males . like other bowerbirds , the male regent will decorate his bower in coloured objects , particularly various types of fruits , snail shells , and pieces of blue plastic . when he spends one percent of his day away from his bower to court the females ( because priorities ) , he risks another male sneaking in and stealing his plastic at best , or sneaking in , stealing his plastic and destroying his bower at worst .
which would be super - sad , because during that brief bower - constructing time , the male will go so far as to create a greyish blue or green ' saliva paint ' in his mouth , to be used as further decoration on the bower walls , and will sometimes use bundles of leaves to apply it . this is one of the few known instances of tool use in birds .
this ' intergeneric ' hybrid - other examples include the liger , the zonkey , and the savannah cat - was first spotted near brisbane in 1867 , and a second one wasn ' t seen until late 2003 .
to be honest i didn ' t know what i was taking a picture of , but it caught my eye ,
kalang resident , carol seidl , said of the event . better familiarise yourself with this fascinating bird - it would be a lottery shot to see one .
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satin bowerbirds are medium - sized bowerbirds . their plumage is dimorphic , i . e . males and females are different . male satin bowerbirds are all glossy blue - black . the eyes have blue to purple irises ; the almost straight bill is yellowish , with a bluish base . the legs and feet are the colour of skin . female satin bowerbirds have a highly crypic plumage . the front is light - green and buff , with copious dark - brown scalloping . the ear coverts and lores are rufous , with darker streaking . the frons and crown are dark - brown with a light - green tinge . the back , i . e . mantle , shoulders and rump , is light - green to turquoise , with faint brown scalloping . the flight feathers and tail are brown . females have eyes with blue irises similar to those of the males , but they have a dark - grey bill and grey legs and feet . juveniles and immature birds resemble females until the fourth year . immature males take another 3 years moulting gradually into their first adult plumage .
the overall distribution of this species can be assessed based on sighting reports submitted by birdwatchers to urltoken .
satin bowerbirds are endemic to australia . they are found along the east and south - east coast of the australian continent . the range of nominate race
violaceus
extends from near melbourne , vic , along the south and east coast and the great dividing range , through all of nsw . to the north of the clarence river in northern nsw , they are not found on the coast , but only the eastern slopes of the ranges , up to just south of rockhampton , qld . race
minor
is found on the tablelands around cairns , qld , from about daintree np to wooroonooran np .
we have spotted satin bowerbirds , race
violaceus
, in various locations on the eastern slopes of the great dividing range in nsw , such as e . g . dorrigo np , nsw . also seen in bald rock np and also in littoral rainforest , e . g . at iluka nr .
large numbers of satin bowerbirds , race
violaceus
, were seen in july 2009 at dandabah , bunya mountains np , qld . this loaction is on the western edge of , if not outside , the species ' general range .
r . druce reports spotting satin bowerbirds , race
violaceus
, in tenterfield , northern nsw , in february 2013 .
k . davison reports sighting satin bowerbirds , race
violaceus
, in glen iris , suburban melbourne , vic , in may 2013 .
b . hensen reports spotting satin bowerbirds , race
violaceus
, at st . albans , nsw , e . g . in december 2013 .
r . plumtree has found satin bowerbirds , race
violaceus
, near kyogle , northern nsw , in july 2013 . they are also spotted occasionally around ensay south , east gippsland , vic .
l . scott reports finding satin bowerbirds , race
violaceus
, breeding in the roseberry creek valley , near toonumbar np , northern nsw , in january 2017 .
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the same two satin bowerbirds as shown above ( photo courtesy of b . hensen ) [ st . albans , nsw , december 2013 ]
note the blue trinkets , which are arranged in a certain pattern . in one of the photos above the male is rearranging the position of a blue feather . since it has blue eyes , it is obvious what is considered
beautiful
by female bowerbirds .
frontal view of a male satin bowerbirds with a fruit ( photo courtesy of r . plumtree ) [ near kyogle , nsw , july 2013 ]
female satin bowerbirds feeding in grassland ; the bird on the left is displaying its dorsal plumage in flight ( photo courtesy of r . plumtree ) [ ensay south , east gippsland , vic , august 2012 ]
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