The genus Arctesthes Meyrick (Geometridae: Larentiinae: Xanthorhoini), endemic to the South Island of New Zealand, is revised. Four species are recognised, including two new species, as follows: Arctesthescatapyrrha (Butler, 1877), A.siris (Hudson, 1908), A.titanicasp. nov. and A.avatarsp. nov. All except A.catapyrrha are restricted to subalpine and alpine localities. Adults and genitalia are fully described and illustrated for all species; larvae of A.catapyrrha are also briefly described and illustrated. Only Arctesthescatapyrrha is widespread; A.siris is restricted to a few mountain ranges of Central Otago; A.titanica is only known from two wetland localities in the Von Valley of the Otago Lakes district, and A.avatar is only known from a few wetlands in a restricted area of north-west Nelson. The two new species are considered of very high priority for conservation.
The invertebrate community richness diversity and abundance associated with pasture productivity and plant species richness at the Lincoln University Research Dairy Farm was examined Invertebrates were sampled in November 2010 (spring) and March 2011 (late summer) by pitfall traps in two pastures types simple (perennial ryegrass/white clover) and complex (perennial ryegrass white clover prairie grass chicory plantain red clover) Pooled across seasons invertebrate richness was greater in the complex pasture compared to the simple pasture but there were no differences in invertebrate community diversity or total abundance between pasture types However greater productivity of the complex pasture in late summer resulted in greater invertebrate abundance in this pasture type but without a concomitant increase in invertebrate species richness or diversity These preliminary results suggest that pasture productivity drives invertebrate abundance and that pasture plant richness drives invertebrate richness regardless of productivity
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