Wiseana
| Wiseana | |
|---|---|
| Wiseana cervinata | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Hepialidae |
| Genus: | Wiseana Viette, 1961 |
| Species | |
|
See text. | |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Wiseana is a genus of ghost moths, collectively known as porina, of the family Hepialidae. There are seven described species, all endemic to New Zealand. Some species of this genus are a major pest in New Zealand exotic pastures. It is impossible to distinguish species at the larval/caterpillar stage without DNA technology, however adult porina moth species can be visually distinguished.
The genus was first identified by Pierre Viette in 1961, who recognised a distinction between the New Zealand members of the genus Oxycanus and those occurring in Australia and New Guinea.