Ichneutica sollennis

This species was first described by Edward Meyrick in 1914 and named Aletia sollennis.[3] Meyrick used two male specimens collected by George Howes at Waipori in November and January.[2][3] Howes passed the specimens to Alfred Philpott who in turn passed them to Meyrick.[2] The lectotype specimen is held at the Natural History Museum, London.[2] In 2019 Robert Hoare undertook a major review of New Zealand Noctuidae.[2] During this review the genus Ichneutica was greatly expanded and the genus Aletia was subsumed into that genus as a synonym.[2] As a result of this review, this species is now known as Ichneutica sollennis.[2]

Illustration of male by George Hudson.

Meyrick described this species as follows:

♂. 35 mm. Head and thorax light brownish-ochreous or brownish. Terminal joint of palpi short. Antennae ciliated. Forewings elongate-triangular, costa almost straight, termen rounded, waved, rather oblique ; brownish-ochreous, more or less fuscous-tinged ; veins obscurely sprinkled with whitish, and posteriorly also with fuscous ; margins of reniform faintly indicated with whitish ; a curved transverse series of whitish dots on veins at 3⁄4 each dot preceded and followed by indistinct dark-fuscous dots : cilia light ochreous sprinkled with whitish. Hindwings fuscous, darker towards termen ; cilia ochreous-whitish, basal half suffused with fuscous.[3]

I. sollennis has a plain brown shade to its forewing with dark wing veins and white dots across the forewings.[2] The adult male has a wingspan of between 32 and 35 mm and the female has a wingspan of between 32 and 33 mm.[2]

This species is endemic to New Zealand.[4] It is found in South Island, in the eastern and central areas of the southern part.[2]

This species inhabits alpine zones and has been known to be collected in tussock grasslands.[2]

The adults of this species are on the wing from November to February.[2] Adults of this species are attracted to light.[2]

The life history of this species is unknown as are the host species of its larvae.[2] Hoare hypothesises that the preferred habitat of this species and shape of I. sollennis' ovipositor suggest that this species have grass or grass like plants as host plants.[2]