Tingena decora

This species was first described by Alfred Philpott in 1928 using specimens collected at Lake Rotoroa, near Nelson in February and named Borkhausenia decora.[3] In 1939 George Hudson discussed and illustrated this species under the name B. decora.[4] In 1988 J. S. Dugdale placed this species within the genus Tingena.[2] The male holotype is held in the New Zealand Arthropod Collection.[2]

Illustration of T. decora by George Hudson.

Philpott described this species as follows:

♂. 9–11 mm. Head, palpi, thorax and abdomen purplish-black. Antennae purplish-black, ciliations ¾. Legs purplish-fuscous, tarsi annulated with ochreous. Forewings, costa slightly arched, apex broadly rounded, termen rounded, strongly oblique; bright yellow to orange; markings shining silvery; an outwardly oblique fascia from 1/6, broadly margined with black, reaching beyond fold; an almost straight fascia from middle of costa to before dorsum; a triangular fascia from costa at ¾ reaching half across wing; a narrow subterminal fascia parallel to termen; the last three fasciae with a few black scales on margins: fringes dark fuscous, base orange. Hindwings dark fuscous: fringes dark fuscous with darker basal line.[3]

This species is very similar in appearance to T. compsogramma but T. docora is a more rich and darkly coloured moth.[4]

This species is endemic to New Zealand and has been collected at Lake Rotoroa.[1]

This species is on the wing in February.[4]