Trachypepla protochlora

Meyrick described this species as follows:

Male. — 13+1⁄2-14+1⁄2 mm. Head, pale whitish-ochreous. Palpi ochreous-whitish, second joint dark fuscous on basal half, terminal joint with a dark fuscous subapical ring. Antenna? dark fuscous. Thorax ochreous-whitish, anterior margin suffused with dark grey. Abdomen light ochreous-grey, anal tuft ochreous. Legs dark fuscous, middle tibiae with whitish central and apical rings, posterior tibiae grey-whitish above, all tarsi with whitish rings at apex of joints. Forewings elongate, costa moderately arched, apex round-pointed, hindmargin very obliquely rounded; whitish, with numerous scattered ochreous-green scales, forming an irregular suffusion, and also partially suffused with light greyish; a small blackish spot at base of costa; basal third of costa dark grey : a slender sharply defined black line from 1⁄4 of costa to 1⁄3 of inner margin, very acutely angulated outwards in middle, becoming obsolete on margins, preceded by a tuft of raised scales above and below middle; a small triangular dark grey patch on middle of costa, beneath which are two raised tufts of scales almost completely margined with black, upper one greenish, lower white; lower tuft almost connected with inner margin beyond middle by some black scales; a small cloudy grey spot on costa at 3⁄4, whence a partially obsolete blackish line proceeds to anal angle, sharply …

T. protochlora is endemic to New Zealand. This species has been recorded in both the North and South Islands including in Auckland, at National Park, Mount Taranaki, Palmerston North, Wellington, Otira Gorge and Invercargill. Hudson believed it to be a rare species in the North Island but relatively common in the southern parts of the South Island.

The adults of this species have been observed being on the wing from October until February. This species has been collected by beating foliage.

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