Heterocrossa philpotti is a species of
moth of the family
Carposinidae.[2] It is endemic to
New Zealand. It currently has two subspecies, although it has been hypothesised that Hetercrossa philpotti hudsoni may have two different species confused within this subspecies name.
Taxonomy
This species was first mentioned by Alfred Philpott in 1928 under the name Carposina n.s.[3] It was
first described by John S. Dugdale in 1971 as the subspecies Carposina epomiana philpotti.[4] In 1978
Elwood Zimmerman argued that the genus Heterocrassa should not be a synonym of Carposina as the genitalia of the species within the genus Heterocrassa are distinctive.[5] As a result in 1988 Dugdale placed this species in the genus Heterocrossa. He proposed the new subspecies Heterocrossa philpotti hudsoni in place of Carposina epomiana as described and discussed by Alfred Philpott in 1928.
The subspecies H. philpotti hudsoni has been recorded as being observed in Albany, Auckland.[9] Alan W. Emmerson and Robert J.B. Hoare have hypothesised that there may be two species confused within this name.[9]