Stigmella cassiniae

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Stigmella cassiniae
Stigmella cassiniae male holotype.png
Male holotype
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Nepticulidae
Genus: Stigmella
Species:
S. cassiniae
Binomial name
Stigmella cassiniae
Donner & Wilkinson, 1989

Stigmella cassiniae is a moth of the family Nepticulidae. [1] It is endemic to New Zealand and has been observed in the North and South Islands. The larvae are leaf miners of leaves and stems of Ozothamnus leptophyllus. When mature, the larvae pupate amongst leaf litter on the ground. Adult moths have been recorded on the wing in January, February, April, and October. It has been hypothesised that there are likely two generations in a year.

Contents

Taxonomy

This species was first described in 1989 by Hans Donner and Christopher Wilkinson from specimens collected in the Gisborne, Hawkes Bay, Taranaki and Southland regions. The male holotype specimen, collected at Cheviot Face in the Takitimu Range on 30 January 1976 on Cassinia vauvilliersii (now known as Ozothamnus leptophyllus ) by J. S. Dugdale, is held in the New Zealand Arthropod Collection. [2]

Description

Larvae are 2–3 mm long and orange-brown. Adult moths have forewings with a length of between 2–3 mm. Donner and Wilkinson described the adult male of this species as follows:

Head. Frontal tuft buff; scape and collar pale grey to whitish; antenna brown, lustrous, reflecting gold, comprising 29 segments. Thorax grey. Forewing 2–3 mm long, golden brown, iridescent, reflecting gold and silver; fringe concolorous. Hindwing silvery grey, lustrous, reflecting silver; fringe silvery white. Abdomen concolorous. [2]

Donner and Wilkinson went on to described the adult female as follows:

As for male, but antenna comprising 22 segments. [2]

This species is easily identified by its small size and its forewing colouration of golden brown. [2]

Distribution

This species is endemic to New Zealand and has been observed in the North and South Islands. [3] [4] The species has been observed at Mt. Benger at an altitude of 1,100 metres (3,600 ft). [5]

Host

Host species O. leptophyllus. Ozothamnus leptophyllus 300705464.jpg
Host species O. leptophyllus.

The larvae feed on Ozothamnus leptophyllus. [6]

References

  1. ↑ Erik J van Nieukerken; Camiel Doorenweerd; Robert J B Hoare; Donald R Davis (31 October 2016). "Revised classification and catalogue of global Nepticulidae and Opostegidae (Lepidoptera, Nepticuloidea)". ZooKeys . 628 (628): 65–246. doi: 10.3897/ZOOKEYS.628.9799 . ISSN   1313-2989. PMC   5126388 . PMID   27917038. Wikidata   Q28109648.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Hans Donner; Christopher Wilkinson (28 April 1989). "Nepticulidae (Insecta: Lepidoptera)". Fauna of New Zealand. 16. Department of Scientific and Industrial Research: 18–19. doi:10.7931/J2/FNZ.16. ISSN   0111-5383. OCLC   924829916. Wikidata   Q45079930.
  3. ↑ Gordon, Dennis P., ed. (2010). New Zealand inventory of biodiversity: Kingdom animalia: chaetognatha, ecdysozoa, ichnofossils. Vol. 2. p. 461. ISBN   978-1-877257-93-3. OCLC   973607714. OL   25288394M. Wikidata   Q45922947.
  4. ↑ "Stigmella cassiniae Donner & Wilkinson, 1989". www.nzor.org.nz. Landcare Research New Zealand Ltd. Retrieved 8 July 2018.
  5. ↑ K. J. M. Dickinson; A. F. Mark; B. I. P. Barratt; B. H. Patrick (March 1998). "Rapid ecological survey, inventory and implementation: a case study from Waikaia Ecological Region, New Zealand". Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand. 28 (1): 83–156. doi:10.1080/03014223.1998.9517556. ISSN   0303-6758. Wikidata   Q54578259.
  6. ↑ "Stigmella cassiniae Donner & Wilkinson, 1989". plant-synz.landcareresearch.co.nz. 2011. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
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