Lindsay's Alpine Owlet

Hudson originally described the species as follows:

The expansion of the wings is 1+1⁄2 inches. The fore-wings are dull blackish-brown, darker near the middle; there is a rather oblique, white, longitudinal stripe below the middle from about one-eighth to one-third; above this there is a very conspicuous, large, elongate white mark; this mark has a semicircular indentation above, probably representing the orbicular; another indentation towards the termen, probably representing the reniform, and below this it emits two short teeth-like projections; beyond these markings the ground colour becomes paler, and is traversed by an obscure, jagged, transverse line; the cilia are grey. The hind-wings are pale grey; the cilia are also grey. The body is dark brownish-black.I. dione is very similar in appearance to I. ceraunias as the two species are closely related. The two species are both variable but were previously distinguished by I. ceraunias having a pale streak in the discal cell of the forewings. However the dissection of the genitalia of male specimens indicate that this distinguishing feature is also present on I. dione specimens. A male I. dione may have a distinctive Y-shaped marking on their forewing disk. Alternatively those male specimens that have a pale section on their forewings separated from the post discal streaks by a dark patch of wing scales are likely to be I. …

This species inhabits the alpine zone of mountains and hills in the South Island. I. dione has a more restrictive range than I. ceraunias.

The adults of this species are on the wing from December to February. Like I. ceraunias adults of this species are sometimes found flying during the day, although it is more common to find them at night.

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