This species was first described by Edward Meyrick in 1905 using specimens collected at Otira Gorge and Wellington and named Orthenches drosochalca.[2]George Hudson discussed and illustrated this species in his 1928 book The butterflies and moths of New Zealand.[3] In 1996 J. S. Dugdale placed this species in the genus Chrysorthenches.[4] The male lectotype, collected by George Hudson in Wellington, is held at the Natural History Museum, London.[5][4]
Description
Hudson described the larva and pupa of this species as follows:
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Meyrick described the adults of this species as follows:
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This species is variable in size and in the intensity of the ground colour of the forewings.[3] It can be distinguished from similar appearing species as its forewings have very scattered white scales as well as a more brassy foreground colour.[4]
Distribution
C. drosochalca is endemic to New Zealand.[6] It has been observed in both the North and South Islands.[3]
Behaviour
The larvae feed in January.[3] Adults are on the wing from January until March.[3] The species has been collected by beating Prumnopitys ferruginea.[3] When resting the forewings are closed giving the moth the appearance of a cylinder.[3] Both the larvae and the adult moth appear to overwinter.[4]
Hosts
The larval host of this species is Prumnopitys ferruginea with the larvae of C. drosochaica mining the leaves of its host.[4]
DNA analysis
In 2020 this species along with the other species in the genus Chrysorthenches had their morphological characters studied.[7]