Meterana asterope

This species was first described by George Hudson in 1898 using a female specimen collected in January at the tableland of Mount Arthur at 3600 ft and named Melanchra asterope.[4] In 1928 Hudson discussed and illustrated this species under that name.[5] In 1971 J. S. Dugdale discussed this species suggesting that it might belong within the Erana group.[6] In 1988 J. S. Dugdale placed this species in the genus Meterana.[2] The female holotype is held at Te Papa.[2]

Illustration of a female M. asterope by George Hudson.

Hudson described this species as follows:

The expansion of the wines is 1+5⁄8 inches. The fore-wings are dull brown with a pale area on the dorsum near the base, and a very broad pale band just before the termen ; there is a bmken black-edged transverse line near the base, and a fainter transverse line at about one-third ; the orbicular is oblong, the claviform crescentic, and the reniform oblong, white, and very conspicuous, all are strongly outlined in black; there is a shaded transverse line on each side of the broad pale terminal band ; the termen is dark brown ; the cilia are brown, and the veins are marked in black. The hind-wings are pale grey ; there is a rather conspicuous dark crescent in the middle, and two shaded transverse lines ; the cilia are grey.[4]

This species is similar in appearance to Meterana dotata.[5]

This species is endemic to New Zealand and can be found in both the North and South Islands.[1][5] It has been collected at locations such as its type locality of Mount Arthur, at Mount Richmond, Bold Peak in Otago, and at the Routeburn Valley.[5]

This species inhabits native forest as well as more open habitat at altitudes of between 2500 and 4000 ft.[5]

This species emerges in the New Zealand summer.[7] Adults are on the wing between December and January and are attracted to light.[5] They have also been collected via sugar traps.[5]