Stigmella microtheriella

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Stigmella microtheriella
Stigmella microtheriella.jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Nepticulidae
Genus: Stigmella
Species:
S. microtheriella
Binomial name
Stigmella microtheriella
(Stainton, 1854) [1]
Synonyms [2]
  • Nepticula microtheriellaStainton, 1854

Stigmella microtheriella, the Hazel leaf miner moth, is a moth of the family Nepticulidae. [3] It is found in Asia, Europe and New Zealand. The larvae mine the leaves of hazel ( Corylus species) and hornbeams ( Carpinus species). It was described by the English entomologist, Henry Tibbats Stainton in 1854 from a type specimen found in England.

Contents

Taxonomy

This species was first described by Henry T. Stainton in 1854 and originally named Nepticular microtheriella. [4] It was subsequently placed in the genus Stigmella. [5] [3] The female type specimen is held at the Natural History Museum, London. [6]

Description

S. microtheriella in New Zealand. Stigmella microtheriella 258187735.jpg
S. microtheriella in New Zealand.

The wingspan is 3–4 millimetres (0.12–0.16 in).The head is ochreous-yellowish, the collar ochreous-whitish. The antennal eyecaps are ochreous-whitish. The forewings are purplish-fuscous with a rather oblique shining whitish fascia beyond middle. The apical area beyond this is darker and more purple. The hindwings are grey. [4] [7] [8] [9]

Adults are on wing in May and again in August. [10] The moths are parthenogenetic. [11]

Egg

Laid on the underside of a leaf, usually near a rib on hazel ( Corylus avellana ) and sometimes hornbeam ( Carpinus betulus ). [11] Other recorded host are Oriental hornbeam ( Carpinus orientalis ), Turkish hazel ( Corylus colurna ), the filbert ( Corylus maxima ), European hop-hornbeam ( Ostrya carpinifolia ) and American hophornbeam ( Ostrya virginiana ).

Larvae
Stigmella microtheriella mine Stigmella microtheriella damage.jpg
Stigmella microtheriella mine

Yellow with a bright green gut; the head is light brown. They feed venter (belly) upwards. The mines are narrow and often angular and the linear frass fills less than half of the mine. The mine widens gradually but is never wider than the width of the larva. [12] [13]

Cocoon

Yellowish brown or pinkish on the ground. [13]

Distribution

This species is found in all of Europe. It is also present in the eastern Palearctic realm and the Australasian realm, where it is found in New Zealand. [2]

S. microtheriella was introduced to New Zealand from Britain between 1850 and 1860 likely as a result of Mr Smith, from Smith's Ford in the Maitai Valley in Nelson, importing hazel trees from Britain. [6] As at 1989 in New Zealand this species has only been observed in Nelson, at the Maitai Valley and at the grounds of Broadgreen Historic House in Stoke. [6] However since this date it has spread throughout the North and South Islands and is regarded as an agricultural pest for those farming Hazel species. [14]

Etymology

The moth was described by Stainton from a specimen found in England, and he assigned the moth to the genus Nepticula , from neptis – a granddaughter; potentially the smallest member of a family and referring to the moths small size. It was later moved to the genus Stigmella. Stigma – ″a brand, a small spot″, from the moths small size, or more likely from a conspicuous, sometimes metallic, fascia on the wings of many of the moths in the genus. When described, the moth was thought to be the smallest, hence microtheriella; micros – small and therion – a little creature. [15]

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<i>Stigmella salicis</i> Species of moth

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<i>Stigmella floslactella</i> Species of moth

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<i>Stigmella malella</i> Species of moth

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<i>Stigmella cassiniae</i> Species of moth endemic to New Zealand

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<i>Stigmella erysibodea</i> Species of moth endemic to New Zealand

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.

<i>Stigmella hakekeae</i> Species of moth endemic to New Zealand

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.

<i>Stigmella hamishella</i> Species of moth

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.

<i>Stigmella insignis</i> Species of moth endemic to New Zealand

Stigmella insignis is a moth of the family Nepticulidae. 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.

Stigmella laquaeorum is a species of moth of the family Nepticulidae. It is endemic to New Zealand and has only been found on Snares Islands / Tini Heke. The egg is laid on the underside leaf. Larvae are leaf miners. There may be up to 20 mines per leaf. Larvae are present in all months. The cocoon is attached to fallen large debris or trunk bases. Adults have been recorded on the wing from late November to February. They are diurnal, flying only in the morning. This species is classified as "At Risk, Naturally Uncommon" by the Department of Conservation.

<i>Stigmella lucida</i> Species of moth endemic to New Zealand

Stigmella lucida, also known as the silver beech miner moth, is a species of moth of the family Nepticulidae. It was first described by Alfred Philpott. This species is endemic to New Zealand and is found in the North and South Islands. It's preferred habitat is native forest populated with its larval host species Nothofagus menziesii. Larvae of this species mine the leaves of its host plant. Adults are on the wing from September to January.

<i>Stigmella ogygia</i> Species of moth endemic to New Zealand

Stigmella ogygia is a moth of the family Nepticulidae. This species was first described by Edward Meyrick in 1889. It is endemic to New Zealand and is found in the North, South and Stewart Islands. This species inhabits the margins of native forest where its larval plant host species are found. Eggs are laid singly on the upper side of the host plant leaf and the larva burrows directly through the bottom of the egg into the leaf-substance. The larvae mine the leaves of Senecio species including Senecio biserratus and Senecio minimus, as well as the leaves of Brachyglottis turneri. The larva emerges from its mine and pupates on the ground near of the larval host plant. Adults are day flying and have been recorded on the wing in March, July and from September to December. There are probably continuous generations throughout the year.

<i>Stigmella oriastra</i> Species of moth

Stigmella oriastra is a moth of the family Nepticulidae. This species was first described by Edward Meyrick. It is endemic to New Zealand and is found in the South Island. The larva are leaf miners of Celmisia species, including Celmisia coriacea and Celmisia densiflora. They have been recorded in February, April and May. Adults are on the wing in January and from October to December. Adults run and takes rapid short flights. There is likely one generation per year.

<i>Stigmella progonopis</i> Species of moth endemic to New Zealand

Stigmella progonopis is a moth of the family Nepticulidae. This species was first described by Edward Meyrick in 1921. It is endemic to New Zealand and has been observed in the North, South and Stewart Islands. This species inhabits montane to subalpine native forest and shrubland. Larvae are leaf miners and have been recorded from April to August. They feed on Dracophyllum traversii, Dracophyllum longifolium, Dracophyllum menziesii,Dracophyllum latifolium and Gaultheria crassa. Adults are on the wing in January and February and there is one generation per year.

<i>Stigmella sophorae</i> Species of moth endemic to New Zealand

Stigmella sophorae is a moth of the family Nepticulidae. This species was first described by George Hudson in 1939. It is endemic to New Zealand and is found in the North and South Islands. Larvae are leaf miners and feed on Sophora tetraptera and Sophora microphylla. Larvae have been observed from April to August. Adults have been seen on the wing in February and from August to December. There is one generation per year.

<i>Stigmella tricentra</i> Species of moth endemic to New Zealand

Stigmella tricentra is a moth of the family Nepticulidae. It was first described by Edward Meyrick in 1889. This species is endemic to New Zealand and is found in both the North and South Islands. This species inhabits the margins of native forest as well as lowland shrublands where its larval host can be found. Larvae are leaf miners and feed on Helichrysum lanceolatum. Adults are on the wing in the wild in March and October. It is likely that this species has two generations in a year.

References

  1. ↑ "Stigmella microtheriella (Stainton, 1854)". Fauna Europaea. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
  2. 1 2 Dugdale , J. S. (23 September 1988). "Lepidoptera - annotated catalogue, and keys to family-group taxa". Fauna of New Zealand. 14. Department of Scientific and Industrial Research: 54. doi:10.7931/J2/FNZ.14. ISSN   0111-5383. Wikidata   Q45083134.
  3. 1 2 van Nieukerken, Erik; Doorenweerd, Camiel; Hoare, Robert; Davis, Donald (2016-10-31). "Revised classification and catalogue of global Nepticulidae and Opostegidae (Lepidoptera, Nepticuloidea)". ZooKeys (628): 65–246. Bibcode:2016ZooK..628...65V. doi: 10.3897/zookeys.628.9799 . ISSN   1313-2970. PMC   5126388 . PMID   27917038.
  4. 1 2 Stainton, H. T (1854). Insecta Britannica : lepidoptera : tineina. London: Lovell Reeve. p. 302 – via Biodiversity Heritage Library.
  5. ↑ Fletcher TB, Clutterbuck CG (1945) Microlepidoptera of Gloucestershire, 7.: Proceedings of the Cotteswold Naturalists' Field Club 28: 58-66.
  6. 1 2 3 Hans Donner; Christopher Wilkinson (28 April 1989). "Nepticulidae (Insecta: Lepidoptera)". Fauna of New Zealand. 16. Department of Scientific and Industrial Research: 29. doi:10.7931/J2/FNZ.16. ISSN   0111-5383. OCLC   924829916. Wikidata   Q45079930.
  7. ↑ Meyrick, Edward (1895). A handbook of British lepidoptera. London: Maomillan. p. 720 – via Biodiversity Heritage Library.
  8. ↑ Zagulajev, A.K., 1987 Nepticulidae (Stigmellidae); in G.S. Medvedev (ed.): Keys to the insects of the europaean part of the USSR, Vol.IV: Lepidoptera, part 1 (english translation), Oxonian Press Pvt.Ltd., New Dehli, 1987
  9. ↑ Emmet, A. M., 1976. Nepticulidae. — In: J. Heath (ed.). The Moths and Butterflies of Great Britain and Ireland 1: 171—267, pls. 1—7, 11, 12.
  10. ↑ "Stigmella microtheriella". UK moths. Retrieved 30 June 2019.
  11. 1 2 Emmet, A M (1988). A Field Guide to the Smaller British Lepidoptera (Second ed.). London: British Entomological and Natural History Society. p. 30. ISBN   0-9502891-6-7.
  12. ↑ "Stigmella microtheriella (Stainton, 1854)". Bladmineerders.nl. Retrieved 30 June 2019.
  13. 1 2 Heath, John (1983). Eriocraniidae. In The Moths and Butterflies of Great Britain and Ireland. Volume 1. Colchester: Harley Books. p. 260. ISBN   0-946589-15-1.
  14. ↑ "A leaf miner in no hurry to go anywhere" (PDF). scionresearch.com. March 2005. Archived (PDF) from the original on 6 February 2016. Retrieved 31 December 2024.
  15. ↑ Emmet, A Maitland (1991). The Scientific Names of the British Lepidoptera. Their history and meaning. Colchester: Harley Books. pp. 45–7. ISBN   0-946589-35-6.
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