Phyllodes imperialis, southern subspecies (a moth) - endangered species listing
The Scientific Committee, established by the Threatened Species Conservation Act, has made a Final Determination to list the southern subspecies of the moth Phyllodes imperialis Druce (ANIC 3333) as an ENDANGERED SPECIES in Part 1 of Schedule 1 of the Act. Listing of endangered species is provided for by Part 2 of the Act.
NSW Scientific Committee - final determination
The Scientific Committee has found that:
1. The southern subspecies of Phyllodes imperialis Druce has yet to be described. There are at least two specimens of this subspecies in the Australian National Insect Collection (ANIC), CSIRO, Canberra (ANIC 3333). Recognition of the southern subspecies is supported by Dr Don Sands of CSIRO Entomology who has relevant expertise and indicates that the subspecies is yet to be formally described. The species Phyllodes imperialis Druce 1888 (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae, Catocalinae) is found in Queensland, New South Wales, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, and New Caledonia. The only other subspecies of Phyllodes imperialis that occurs in Australia is found in northern Queensland. It is geographically separated and morphologically distinct from the southern subspecies (Sands 1999).
2. The body of adults of the southern subspecies of P. imperialis is a dark beige colour with brown legs and a black abdomen (Druce 1888) Forewing length is approximately 60mm. They are conspicuous moths with grey brown forewings complete with unusual central white markings, which look similar to a dead leaf, and dark grey hindwings with a small pink patch resembling a large spot. The pink area of the hindwing is less than half the width (apex to inner margin) of the hindwing. The hindwings also exhibit seven white spots along the lower margins. Colouring is similar on the underside of the wings except that the upper wing is darker with 3 white spots and the pink patch is smaller (Druce 1888, Hunter 1939). The adults of the northern subspecies of P. imperialis are large and have a forewing length of approximately 75mm. The pink patch on the hindwing is large, covering about 2/3 of the hindwing and is greater than half the hindwing width. The New Caledonian subspecies P. imperialis dealbata lacks many of the white markings of P. imperialis and the southern subspecies, as well as possessing a wider pink band on the hind wings (Holloway 1979).
3. Currently the southern subspecies of the moth Phyllodes imperialis is known from 5 locations in lower montane rainforests. All but one of the locations are in south-eastern Queensland, distributed from Nambour to northern NSW. Two isolated specimens were collected from Dorrigo in north-eastern NSW. One specimen was caught on 27 March 1973 and the other on 18 November 1990. Only one location, Mary Cairncross Park in Queensland, is confirmed breeding habitat. Breeding habitat is considered to be restricted to undisturbed old growth subtropical rainforest below 600m altitude (D. Sands pers. comm.).
4. The southern subspecies of Phyllodes imperialis is found in the thick primary lower montane rainforests from southeastern Queensland to northern NSW. The larvae of the southern subspecies of P. imperialis appear to be dependent on the vine Carronia multisepalea (D. Sands personal communication). Other forms of P. imperialis feed on Pycnarrhena vines (D. Sands personal communication).
5. Little is known of the subspecies' distribution and life history and very little is known about the distribution and life history of its food plant in NSW, which appears to be relatively rare. The two adult specimens housed in ANIC both came from Dorrigo National Park. Phyllodes imperialis southern subspecies is listed as an endangered species under the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.
6. Population sizes of the southern subspecies of Phyllodes imperialis in NSW appear to be small and its range in NSW appears to be limited to the far north-east of the state. It is also likely that since this subspecies is restricted to undisturbed lower montane rainforest, it is threatened by demographic and environmental stochasticity.
7. In view of the above, the Scientific Committee is of the opinion that the southern subspecies of the moth Phyllodes imperialis Druce 1888 is likely to become extinct in nature in NSW unless the circumstances and factors threatening its survival cease to operate.
Associate Professor Paul Adam
Chairperson
Scientific Committee
Proposed Gazettal date: 05/12/03
Exhibition period: 05/12/03 - 06/02/04
References:
Druce H (1888) Descriptions of new species of Lepidoptera, chiefly from Central America. Annals and Magazine of Natural History 6: 234-242.
Holloway JD (1979). A Survey of the Lepidoptera, Biogeography and Ecology of New Caledonia. D. W. Junk, The Hague.
Hunter RL (1939) The Pink Under Wing Moth. North Queensland Naturalist 7: 1-2.
Sands DPA (1999) Conservation status of Lepidoptera: Assessment, threatening processes and recovery actions. In 'The Other 99%: The Conservation and Biodiversity of Invertebrates', (Ponder, W. and Lunney, D. eds.). pp. 382-387. The Zoological Society of New South Wales, Mosman.