Stigmella insignis | |
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Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Class: | Insecta |
Order: | Lepidoptera |
Family: | Nepticulidae |
Genus: | Stigmella |
Species: | S. insignis |
Binomial name | |
Stigmella insignis | |
Synonyms [2] | |
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Stigmella insignis is a moth of the family Nepticulidae. [3] It is endemic to New Zealand and has been observed in the Hawkes Bay as well as in the north west of the South Island. S. insignis inhabits montane to subalpine grasslands. The larvae of S. insignis are leaf miners. They likely feed on Celmisia spectabilis. Adults of this species have been observed on the wing in March, November and December.
This species was first described by Alfred Philpott in 1927 using three male specimens he collected at Salisbury's Opening on the Mount Arthur Tableland at 4,000 ft. in November. [4] Philpott originally named the species Nepticula insignis. [4] [2] In 1939 George Hudson discussed and illustrated this species under that name in his book A supplement to the butterflies and moths of New Zealand. [2] [5] In 1988 J. S. Dugdale placed this species in the genus Stigmella. [2] This placement was confirmed by Hans Donner and Christopher Wilkinson in 1989. [6] The male holotype specimen is held in the New Zealand Arthropod Collection. [2]
Philpott described this species as follows:
n. sp. ♂. 5–6 mm Head white, sometimes ochreous tinged. Antennae fuscous, eye-cap whitish. Thorax ochreous. Abdomen dark fuscous. Forewings white with much admixture of ochreous, especially on basal portion and in disc; a black spot on fold at ¼, sometimes absent; a prominent black spot in disc at ½,. usually elongate; a black spot, large or small, before apex; fringes fuscous-grey with several rows of ochreous points round apex and termen. Hindwings and fringes fuscous-grey. [4]
Donner and Wilkinson described the male of the species as follows:
Head. Frontal tuft, scape, and collar white; antenna grey-brown, comprising about 35 segments, lustrous, reflecting purple and copper. Thorax silvery white. Forewing about 3.5 mm long, silvery white with scattered yellow scales; a small, postbasal black spot sometimes extending caudally and anally, and a distal black spot varying from almost absent to covering terminal fifth of wing; fringe silvery grey. Hindwing silvery grey; fringe concolorous. Abdomen silvery brown. [6]
The female is visually similar to the male with the exception of their antenna which have 28 segments. [6] S. insignis is larger than the similar species S. oriastra and lacks the orange forewing scales of S. laqueorum . [6]
This species is endemic to New Zealand. [7] [1] This species has been observed in the Hawkes Bay as well as in the north west of the South Island. [6]
Adults have been recorded in March, November and December. [6]
S. insignis inhabits montane to subalpine grasslands. [6] The larvae probably feed on Celmisia spectabilis . [8] J. S. Dugdale stated he collected specimens on the rosettes of C. spectabilis. [6] They mine the leaves of their host plant. [6]
Stigmella aigialeia is a moth of the family Nepticulidae. It is endemic to New Zealand and can be found on both the North and South Islands. The larvae of this species are leaf miners and are known to feed on the leaves of Plagianthus divaricatus. Larvae have been recorded as feeding in April, May and September. They pupate in leaf litter on the ground under their host plant. Adults of this have been observed on the wing in January, February, September and October, in coastal locations particularly in the preferred habitat of its host plant, that is salt marshes and sandbanks.
Stigmella aliena is a moth of the family Nepticulidae. It is endemic to New Zealand and has only been observed at Mount Arthur in the north western area of the South Island. This species is known only from the male holotype specimen. The larvae of this species are likely leaf miners, however the biology of this species is currently unknown, as is the female of this species. The adults are on the wing in December.
Stigmella atrata is a moth of the family Nepticulidae. It is endemic to New Zealand and has been observed on the North Island, South Island and Stewart Island. The larvae of this species are leaf miners of Brachyglottis elaeagnifolia and Brachyglottis rotundifolia and have been recorded in April, May, July and September. Larvae pupate on the ground in a cocoon. Adults have been observed on the wing in January, February, November and December. It has been hypothesised that there is probably only one generation per year.
Stigmella cassiniae is a moth of the family Nepticulidae. 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.
Stigmella childi is a species of moth of the family Nepticulidae. It is endemic to New Zealand and has been observed in the southern parts of the South Island. This species inhabits subalpine and alpine grassland and herbfields. The larvae of this species are leaf miners and feed on the leaves of Celmisia haastii. Adults have been observed on the wing in January.
Stigmella erysibodea is a species of moth of the family Nepticulidae. It is endemic to New Zealand and has been observed in both the North and South Islands. The larvae of this species are leaf miners and feed on the leaves of Olearia ilicifolia and Olearia albida. Adults have been observed on the wing in November and February.
Stigmella fulva is a moth of the family Nepticulidae. It is endemic to New Zealand and has been observed in the North Island around Mount Taranaki, in the South Island and at Stewart Island. The species' eggs are laid singly but a considerable number may be deposited on the upper surface of one leaf. The incubation period can last from a week to a month depending on climatic conditions. The larvae mine the leaves of their host plants which are all in the genus Olearia. Larvae have been recorded in all months except January, February and June. The cocoon is brown and spun amongst the leaf litter under its host plant. The pupal period has been shown to range from 21 days to 79 days, again depending on climatic conditions. Adults have been observed on the wing January until March and August to December. They are active in the sun about their larval food plant.
Stigmella hakekeae is a moth of the family Nepticulidae. It is endemic to New Zealand and is found in the North, South and Stewart Islands. The larvae feed on Olearia species and are leaf miners. This species pupates in a silk cocoon on the ground underneath its host plant. Adults are on the wing most months of year except for March and April. They have been observed flying during the day near their host plant. There are four or five generations per year. This species is regarded as being widely distributed and locally abundant.
Stigmella hamishella is a moth of the family Nepticulidae. It is endemic to New Zealand and has been observed in the South Island. The larvae mine the leaves of Olearia moschata. The mine consists of blotches, mainly on the lower leaves. The preferred habitat of S. hamishella is the same as its host plant, montane to subalpine shrubland. Adults are on the wing in December.
Stigmella hoheriae is a species of moth of the family Nepticulidae. This day flying moth is found in New Zealand in both the North and South Islands. It inhabits native forest. Eggs are laid on the surface of a still growing leaf of a host plant. Larvae feed on Hoheria species such as Hoheria glabrata, Hoheria populnea, Hoheria sexstylosa and Hoheria angustifolia and have been recorded from February to August. The larvae of S. hoheriae are leaf miners. Their mines create blotches on the host plant leaves. S. hoheriae larvae pupate in a silk cocoon on the ground at the base of their food plant. Adult moths have been observed on the wing in February and from July to December. This species is rarely noticed as it is very small and as a result does not tend to attract attention when on the wing.
Stigmella ilsea is a moth of the family Nepticulidae. It is endemic to New Zealand and has been observed in the North and South Islands. The larvae of this species are leaf miners and feed on Olearia virgata, Olearia rugosa, Olearia odorata, Olearia laxiflora, Olearia lineate and Olearia hectorii. Adult moths have been recorded in January, October and November. Reared specimens emerged from July to September. There is likely one generation per year.
Stigmella kaimanua is a moth of the family Nepticulidae. This species is endemic to New Zealand and has been observed in the southern parts of the South Island. S. kaimanua inhabits lowland and lower montane forest. The larvae mine the leaves of Parsonsia heterophylla. The mine is linear and continues down the stems for a short distance. Larvae have been observed April to August. The cocoon is probably attached to the leaf litter on the ground under the host plant. There is one generation per year. Adults are on the wing in November and December and are attracted to light.
Sabatinca chalcophanes is a moth of the family Micropterigidae. This species is endemic to New Zealand and is found in the North Island apart from Northland and in the South Island apart from in the east, south of Queen Charlotte Sound. The adults of this species are on the wing from November to April and as a result of this long period it has been hypothesised that this species has two broods. The preferred habitat of this species is in damp lowland forest. The larval host species are foliose liverwort species including Hymenophyton flabellatum.
Sabatinca aemula is a species of moth belonging to the family Micropterigidae. It is endemic to New Zealand and is found in the north western parts of the South Island. The larvae of this species has yet to be collected but it has been hypothesised that the larvae subsist on foliose liverworts similar to other species in the Sabatinca genus. The adults of the species are on the wing from the middle of September until the end of December. The adults of S. aemula are very similar in appearance to S. chrysargyra and it has been argued they can only be distinguished by dissection. However more recent research suggests that the colour patterns on the forewings of the two species can be sufficient to distinguish between the two species.
Asterivora symbolaea is a species of moth in the family Choreutidae. It is endemic to New Zealand and has been observed in Arthur's Pass. This species lives in subalpine habitat. Adults of this is on the wing in January and February. Larvae are hosted by Celmisia prorepens.
Heterocrossa canescens is a species of moth in the family Carposinidae. It is endemic to New Zealand. This species has been observed in Aoraki / Mount Cook National Park and in the Southern Alps. The larvae of this species feed on the fruits and flowers of endemic to New Zealand species in the genus Gaultheria. Adult moths are on the wing in November and from January to March.
Eutorna inornata is a moth in the family Depressariidae. It was described by Alfred Philpott in 1927. It is endemic to New Zealand and has been observed in both the North and South Islands. The larvae of this moth are leaf miners of Selliera radicans.
Hierodoris insignis is a species of moth in the family Gelechiidae. It is endemic to New Zealand and has been found in the Nelson/Tasman districts. The larvae are leaf miners and are hosted by Celmisia species. Adults are on the wing in January. It is likely that this species belongs to another genus and as such this species is also known as Hierodoris (s.l.) insignis or 'Hierodoris' insignis.
Trachypepla angularis is a species of moth in the family Oecophoridae. It is endemic to New Zealand and has been collected at Lake Rotoroa in the Nelson Lakes National Park in January. This species inhabits mixed native forest.
Orthenches disparilis is a moth of the family Plutellidae. This species was first described by Alfred Philpott in 1931. It is endemic to New Zealand and has been observed in Auckland and Otago. O. disparilis is associated with species in the genus Corokia and larvae are known to feed on Corokia buddleioides. The larvae mine the leaves and feeds on the shoots and fruit of their host. Adults are on the wing in January. Dracophyllum bushes are used as over wintering sites by the adults.