Report on a survey of nocturnal moth species occurring on South Sister near St Marys, Tasmania.

P.B.McQuillan
University of Tasmania

Introduction
South Sister is a dolerite peak situated north of the township of St Marys in north eastern Tasmania. From a biogeographical viewpoint, it is strategically located at the top of a major river catchment but also forming part of the hinterland to the east coast adjacent to the township of Falmouth. 
Moths were sampled as part of a programme to document the biodiversity of the local area in order to improve knowledge of the natural values of the area. 

Methods
Nocturnal moths were sampled with 12v, 8w ultra violet light traps operated from dusk to dawn. A voucher collection was field-pinned and is archived in the collection of the School of Geography & Environmental Studies at the University of Tasmania.
Seven sites in tall Eucalyptus delegatensis forest on the flanks of South Sister were sampled over two nights in mid summer (Table 1). Elevation spanned a range of 200m. Overnight conditions were dry and without strong wind but with an estimated minimum temperature of 11C on 21.i.2005 and 7C on 22.i.2005.
Sampling sites were chosen to represent a cross section of the habitats present in the area and their locations were fixed with a GPS set to the WS84 datum. Habitats mainly differed in the nature of the understorey vegetation.

Latitude	Longitude	State	Locality	Elevation	Date	Habitat	
41.53383°S	148.17433°E	TAS	South Sister	768m	21 JAN. 2005	Tall Euc. delegat. forest	
41.53434°S	148.17344°E	TAS	South Sister	774m	21 JAN. 2005	Tall Euc. delegat. forest	
41.53500°S	148.17466°E	TAS	South Sister	749m	21 JAN. 2005	Tall Euc. delegat. forest	
41.53819°S	148.17944°E	TAS	South Sister	692m	21 JAN. 2005	Tall Euc. delegat. forest	
41.54047°S	148.17672°E	TAS	South Sister	650m	22 JAN. 2005	Tall Euc. delegat. forest	
41.54120°S	148.18041°E	TAS	South Sister	620m	22 JAN. 2005	Tall Euc. delegat. forest	
41.54142°S	148.18606°E	TAS	South Sister	580m	22 JAN. 2005	Tall Euc. delegat. forest	

Results

At least 90 species representing 18 moth families were found (Appendix 1). When identification is complete, the sample will probably include about 130 species. In the current list for example, the genus Barea includes at least 7 species, but their identity must await closer study.

At least three moth species not previously recorded from Tasmania were present in the samples:

Sterictopsis melanoglypta (Lower) family Geometridae
41.54142°S  148.18606°E South Sister nr St Marys  580m 22 JAN. 2005
Tisobarica sp.	family Oecophoridae
41.53819°S  148.17944°E South Sister nr St Marys 692m 21 JAN. 2005
Paraphyllis sp. family Yponomeutidae
41.54047°S  148.17672°E South Sister nr St Marys 650m 22 JAN. 2005

All three are associated with tall eucalypt forest in south eastern mainland Australia. S. melanoglypta and Paraphyllis sp. are thought to be relaint on eucalypts as foodplants whereas the plant associations of Tisobarica are unknown.

Discussion
It is not easy to put the results in context as there are few comparable datasets for moth communities in this forest type in Tasmania, and none for this bioregion. However, the fauna of drier eucalypt forests in north eastern Tasmania is known to be seasonal in its activity, with a turnover of species every eight to ten weeks (McQuillan et al. 1998). On this basis, the size of the South Sister moth fauna would be a minimum of 500, and probably in the order of 950 species. Many species are not efficiently sampled with light traps  and careful sampling over an extended period could take the total beyond 1000 species.

The elevation of South Sister is sufficiently high to support some elements of a montane or higher altitude fauna. Typical Tasmanian montane species include the geometrid Mnesampela heliochrysa and the noctuid Neumichtis iorrhoa. The Bogong moth Agrotis infusa was also found at the highest site, consistent with the likelihood that these migratory moths may spend the summer in reproductive diapause secreted in rocky cavities on NE Tasmanian mountain summits (L. Hill, DPIWE Devonport, pers. comm.). It is possible that these moths may originate on mainland Australia and cross Bass Strait in the spring, forming outlier populations relative to the well known aggregations which form each summer on Mt Kosciusko and the Victorian Alps. Together with the very abundant large noctuid Neumichtis iorrhoa it may form a valuable seasonal food source for birds and mammals. A number of moth and butterfly species exhibit “hilltopping” behaviour, whereby males move upslope to aggregate on local high points in the landscape to establish mating territories or seek females. It is therefore important to maintain native vegetation cover along this gradient to facilitate the movement of these species. 

The extraordinary diversity and development of lichens on South Sister is reflected in the relative abundance of moths whose larvae rely on lichens as food. Examples include Damias sicciodes, Scoliacma adrasta and Thallarcha isophragma. These plants are likely to be important in the lifecycles of many other species.
Also noteworthy in the dataset is the high diversity of moths associated with leaf litter and decaying wood. Such resources are typical of older forests which maintain a buffered micro-climate at ground level. In all probability, the maintenance of a wide range of decay states in the litter favours a high diversity of associated moths which individually specialise on its components.  This in turn may be mediated by a constellation of wood-decaying fungi which are now known to be influential in maintaining beetle diversity in old growth forests. Leaf litter feeding larvae are ecologically important as comminuters of the refractive litter of Eucalyptus and consequently are potentially important in the fire fuel cycle.

Given the poor conservation status of tall forest in the north east of Tasmania, the preservation of South Sister and its adjacent habitats in their natural state would make a very worthwhile contribution to redressing this oversight. 

Reference

McQUILLAN, P.B., TAYLOR, R.J., BERETON, R.N.  & CALE, P.G. (1998). Seasonal patterns of activity in geometrid moths (Lepidoptera: Geometridae) from a lowland and a highland eucalypt forest in Tasmania. Australian Journal of Entomology 37: 228-237.

Appendix 1. List of moth species occurring on South Sister, January 2005.

Family	Species	Latitude	Longitude	Elevation	Date	
Anthelidae	Anthela ferruginosa Walker, 1855	41.53434°S	148.17344°E	774m	21.i. 2005	
Anthelidae	Anthela nicothoe (Boisduval, 1832)	41.54047°S	148.17672°E	650m	22.i. 2005	
Arctiidae	Castulo doubledayi Newman, 1857	41.54120°S	148.18041°E	620m	22.i. 2005	
Arctiidae	Damias sicciodes (Hampson, 1914)	41.54142°S	148.18606°E	580m	22.i. 2005	
Arctiidae	Scoliacma adrasta (Turner, 1940)	41.54142°S	148.18606°E	580m	22.i. 2005	
Arctiidae	Thallarcha isophragma (Meyrick, 1886)	41.53434°S	148.17344°E	774m	21.i. 2005	
Cosmopterygidae	Macrobathra sp.	41.54142°S	148.18606°E	580m	22.i. 2005	
Depressariidae	Eutorna sp.	41.53383°S	148.17433°E	768m	21.i. 2005	
Geometridae	Acodia pauper Rosenstock, 1885	41.53383°S	148.17433°E	768m	21.i. 2005	
Geometridae	Anzarhoe anthracinata (Guenée, 1857)	41.54142°S	148.18606°E	580m	22.i. 2005	
Geometridae	Archephanes zalosema Turner, 1926	41.53500°S	148.17466°E	749m	21.i. 2005	
Geometridae	Boarmia’ suasaria (Guenée, 1857)	41.53434°S	148.17344°E	774m	21.i. 2005	
Geometridae	Casbia melanops Rosenstock, 1885 	41.53500°S	148.17466°E	749m	21.i. 2005	
Geometridae	Chloroclysis sp.	41.53434°S	148.17344°E	774m	21.i. 2005	
Geometridae	Chloroclystis filata (Guenée, 1857)	41.53383°S	148.17433°E	768m	21.i. 2005	
Geometridae	Chrysolarentia bichromata (Guenée, 1857)	41.53434°S	148.17344°E	774m	21.i. 2005	
Geometridae	Drymoptila temenitis (Guest, 1887) 	41.53434°S	148.17344°E	774m	21.i. 2005	
Geometridae	Eccymatoge morphna Turner, 1922 	41.53383°S	148.17433°E	768m	21.i. 2005	
Geometridae	Epyaxa subidaria (Guenée, 1857)	41.54142°S	148.18606°E	580m	22.i. 2005	
Geometridae	Euphronarcha epiphloea (Turner, 1926)	41.54047°S	148.17672°E	650m	22.i. 2005	
Geometridae	Heliomystis electrica Meyrick, 1888 	41.53500°S	148.17466°E	749m	21.i. 2005	
Geometridae	Hydriomena crocota (Turner, 1904)	41.53434°S	148.17344°E	774m	21.i. 2005	
Geometridae	Hydriomena severata (Guenée, 1857)	41.54047°S	148.17672°E	650m	22.i. 2005	
Geometridae	Hydriomena’ anaspila Meyrick, 1891	41.53500°S	148.17466°E	749m	21.i. 2005	
Geometridae	Microdes diplodonta Turner, 1904 	41.53383°S	148.17433°E	768m	21.i. 2005	
Geometridae	Microdes haemobaphes Turner, 1926 	41.53434°S	148.17344°E	774m	21.i. 2005	
Geometridae	Microdes sp.	41.53500°S	148.17466°E	749m	21.i. 2005	
Geometridae	Microdes squamulata Guenée, 1857 	41.53500°S	148.17466°E	749m	21.i. 2005	
Geometridae	Microdes villosata Guenée, 1857 	41.53434°S	148.17344°E	774m	21.i. 2005	
Geometridae	Mnesampela heliochrysa (Lower, 1893)	41.54142°S	148.18606°E	580m	22.i. 2005	
Geometridae	Oenochroma vetustaria (Walker, 1860)	41.54142°S	148.18606°E	580m	22.i. 2005	
Geometridae	Palleopa innotata Walker, 1866	41.53434°S	148.17344°E	774m	21.i. 2005	
Geometridae	Psilosticha mactaria (Guenée, 1857)	41.53434°S	148.17344°E	774m	21.i. 2005	
Geometridae	Scopula sp.	41.53500°S	148.17466°E	749m	21.i. 2005	
Geometridae	Sterictopsis melanoglypta	41.54142°S	148.18606°E	580m	22.i. 2005	
Geometridae	Taxeotis sp.	41.54142°S	148.18606°E	580m	22.i. 2005	
Gracillariidae	Aristaea periphanes Meyrick, 1907	41.54142°S	148.18606°E	580m	22.i. 2005	
Lasiocampidae	Pararguda nasuta (Lewin, 1805)	41.54120°S	148.18041°E	620m	22.i. 2005	
Noctuidae	Agrotis infusa (Boisduval, 1832)	41.53434°S	148.17344°E	774m	21.i. 2005	
Noctuidae	Artigisa lignicolaria (Walker, 1866)	41.53434°S	148.17344°E	774m	21.i. 2005	
Noctuidae	Cirphis ebriosa (Guenée, 1852)	41.53500°S	148.17466°E	749m	21.i. 2005	
Noctuidae	Dasygaster* epipolia (Turner, 1920)	41.53434°S	148.17344°E	774m	21.i. 2005	
Noctuidae	Neumichtis iorrhoa (Meyrick, 1902)	41.54120°S	148.18041°E	620m	22.i. 2005	
Noctuidae	Nola sp.	41.54142°S	148.18606°E	580m	22.i. 2005	
Noctuidae	Persectania ewingii (Westwood, 1839)	41.53434°S	148.17344°E	774m	21.i. 2005	
Noctuidae	Proteuxoa D	41.53500°S	148.17466°E	749m	21.i. 2005	
Noctuidae	Proteuxoa sanguinipuncta (Guenée, 1852)	41.54142°S	148.18606°E	580m	22.i. 2005	
Noctuidae	Rhapsa suscitatalis (Walker, [1859])	41.53434°S	148.17344°E	774m	21.i. 2005	
Notodontidae	Aglaosoma periblepta (Turner, 1922)	41.54142°S	148.18606°E	580m	22.i. 2005	
Notodontidae	Gallaba eugraphes Turner, 1922	41.54120°S	148.18041°E	620m	22.i. 2005	
Oecophoridae	Acanthodela erythrosema (Meyrick, 1886)	41.54120°S	148.18041°E	620m	22.i. 2005	
Oecophoridae	Aeolothapsa malacella (Meyrick, 1885)	41.53383°S	148.17433°E	768m	21.i. 2005	
Oecophoridae	Barea cf	41.53819°S	148.17944°E	692m	21.i. 2005	
Oecophoridae	Barea sp.	41.53434°S	148.17344°E	774m	21.i. 2005	
Oecophoridae	Barea turbatella (Walker, 1864)	41.53434°S	148.17344°E	774m	21.i. 2005	
Oecophoridae	Chezala sp.	41.53434°S	148.17344°E	774m	21.i. 2005	
Oecophoridae	Cosmaresta canephora (Meyrick, 1883)	41.53434°S	148.17344°E	774m	21.i. 2005	
Oecophoridae	Cosmaresta sp.	41.53434°S	148.17344°E	774m	21.i. 2005	
Oecophoridae	Eochrois callianassa (Meyrick, 1883)	41.54047°S	148.17672°E	650m	22.i. 2005	
Oecophoridae	Eulechria sp.	41.53434°S	148.17344°E	774m	21.i. 2005	
Oecophoridae	Garrha sp.	41.53434°S	148.17344°E	774m	21.i. 2005	
Oecophoridae	Hoplostega ochroma (Meyrick, 1886)	41.54142°S	148.18606°E	580m	22.i. 2005	
Oecophoridae	Lichenaula sp.	41.53434°S	148.17344°E	774m	21.i. 2005	
Oecophoridae	Orescoa paurogramma (Meyrick, 1883)	41.53434°S	148.17344°E	774m	21.i. 2005	
Oecophoridae	Oxythecta alternella (Walker, 1864)	41.53434°S	148.17344°E	774m	21.i. 2005	
Oecophoridae	Oxythecta sp.	41.53819°S	148.17944°E	692m	21.i. 2005	
Oecophoridae	Philobota sp.	41.53434°S	148.17344°E	774m	21.i. 2005	
Oecophoridae	Tisobarica sp.	41.53819°S	148.17944°E	692m	21.i. 2005	
Oecophoridae	undet sp.	41.53434°S	148.17344°E	774m	21.i. 2005	
Psychidae	Lepidoscia 	41.53819°S	148.17944°E	692m	21.i. 2005	
Pterophoridae	Stenoptilia phaeonephes (Meyrick, 1886)	41.53383°S	148.17433°E	768m	21.i. 2005	
Pyralidae	Hednota sp.	41.54142°S	148.18606°E	580m	22.i. 2005	
Pyralidae	Hygraula nitens (Butler, 1880)	41.54047°S	148.17672°E	650m	22.i. 2005	
Pyralidae	Scoparia anthracias Meyrick, 1884	41.53434°S	148.17344°E	774m	21.i. 2005	
Roeslerstammiidae	Nematobola orthotricha Meyrick, 1893	41.54047°S	148.17672°E	650m	22.i. 2005	
Roeslerstammiidae	Thereutis chionozyga Meyrick, 1893	41.53383°S	148.17433°E	768m	21.i. 2005	
Tineidae	Monopis ethelella (Newman, 1856)	41.53819°S	148.17944°E	692m	21.i. 2005	
Tortricidae	Capua intractana (Walker, 1869)	41.53434°S	148.17344°E	774m	21.i. 2005	
Tortricidae	contortula (Turner, 1927)	41.53434°S	148.17344°E	774m	21.i. 2005	
Tortricidae	Cryptoptila immersana (Walker, 1863)	41.54142°S	148.18606°E	580m	22.i. 2005	
Tortricidae	Epiphyas sp.	41.53434°S	148.17344°E	774m	21.i. 2005	
Tortricidae	Epiphyas xylodes (Meyrick, 1910)	41.53383°S	148.17433°E	768m	21.i. 2005	
Tortricidae	Ericodesma liquidana (Meyrick, 1881)	41.53819°S	148.17944°E	692m	21.i. 2005	
Tortricidae	Holocola sp.	41.53434°S	148.17344°E	774m	21.i. 2005	
Tortricidae	Meritastis polygraphana (Walker, 1863)	41.53434°S	148.17344°E	774m	21.i. 2005	
Tortricidae	ophiodesma (Lower, 1902)	41.53434°S	148.17344°E	774m	21.i. 2005	
Tortricidae	stereodes (Meyrick, 1910)	41.53434°S	148.17344°E	774m	21.i. 2005	
Yponomeutidae	Paraphyllis sp.	41.54047°S	148.17672°E	650m	22.i. 2005	
Yponomeutidae	Zelleria cynetica Meyrick, 1893	41.54120°S	148.18041°E	620m	22.i. 2005	
Zygaenidae	Pollanisus sp.	41.54047°S	148.17672°E	650m	22.i. 2005