This species was first described in 1898 by George Hudson using material he collected on Mount Arthur in January.[1][3][4] Hudson also discussed and illustrated this species in his 1928 book The Butterflies and Moths of New Zealand.[5] The genus Notoreas was reviewed in 1986 by R. C. Craw and the placement of this species within it was confirmed.[6] In 2010 Brian Patrick, Robert Hoare and Birgit Rhode synonymised Notoreas regilla with N. simplex.[2] Although they retained the species N. simplex this status was regarded by them as tentative.[2] Species within the genus Notoreas are currently regarded as in need of revision and in particular this species is regarded as needing more taxonomic work.[7] The holotype specimen is held at the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa.[4]
Description
Hudson originally described the species as follows:
The expansion of the wings of the female is from 24 to 25 mm. (1 inch). Fore-wings moderate, termen rounded; rather dark fuscous, mixed and obscurely striated with orange; a curved white sub-dentate line before one-fourth, anteriorly blackish margined; a similar white line beyond one-fourth, posteriorly blackish-margined; space between these sometimes suffused with orange; a slender irregularly dentate white fascia beyond middle, rather strongly angulated in middle, anteriorly blackish-margined, posteriorly closely followed by a dentate orange line; a dentate orange line near termen, dilated on costa. Hind-wings moderate, termen rounded; orange, lighter anteriorly; basal half dark fuscous mixed with orange, its outer edge irregularly curved; a dentate subterminal fascia and narrow terminal fascia dark fuscous, sometimes obscure.[3]
However the holotype specimen Hudson used for this description is regarded as diverging from the normal appearance of this species.[2] Also Philpott's specimen used for the first description of Lythria regilla is a distinctive form of N. simplex.[2]
The female moth lays her eggs within the flower buds of their host plant.[9] When the larvae emerge from their eggs, they eat into the leaves or buds of their host, hiding from predators.[9] Once they are large enough, they emerge to feed from the fresh growth of the plant.[9]N. simplex pupate in a loose cocoon on the ground under their host.[9]N. simplex likely has two generations each year with adults on the wing in the months of late September until April.[2]N. simplex are day-flying moths.[9] They are low but fast flyers and constantly vibrate their wings to enable them to take off rapidly.[9]
Host species
The host plants for the larvae of N. simplex are endemic species of Pimelea including Pimelea prostrata at Kaitorete Spit.[2]
^ abcdefPatrick, Brian (Autumn 2015). "Discovering New Zealand's gorgeous moths"(PDF). Butterflies and Moths of New Zealand. New Zealand: Butterflies and Moths of New Zealand Trust. p. 13. Retrieved 12 December 2018.
