Stigmella oriastra

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Stigmella oriastra
Stigmella oriastra 347776537 (cropped).jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Nepticulidae
Genus: Stigmella
Species:
S. oriastra
Binomial name
Stigmella oriastra
(Meyrick, 1917)
Synonyms [1]
  • Nepticula oriastraMeyrick, 1917

Stigmella oriastra is a moth of the family Nepticulidae. [2] This species was first described by Edward Meyrick. It is endemic to New Zealand and is found in the South Island. The larvae 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.

Contents

Taxonomy

This species was originally described by Edward Meyrick in 1917 using two specimens collected at Ōtira Gorge by Stella Hudson on scree on the eastern side of the gorge and originally named Nepticula oriastra. [3] In 1928 George Hudson discussed and illustrated that species under the name Nepticula oriastra in his book The butterflies and moths of New Zealand. [4] In 1988 John S. Dugdale placed Nepticula oriastra in the genus Stigmella. [1] In 1989 Hans Donner and Christopher Wilkinson agreed with this placement in their monograph on New Zealand Nepticulidae. [5] This placement was again confirmed in a 2016 revision of the global species placed in the family Nepticulidae. [2] The female lectotype specimen is held at the Natural History Museum, London. [1]

Description

Illustration by Des Helmore LEPI Nepticulidae Stigmella oriastra.png
Illustration by Des Helmore

Larvae are 3–4 mm long and pale yellow. [5] The mine is a narrow and initially forms a circular pattern and then a linear pattern. Frass can be seen in the middle of the mine. [5] The cocoon is buff and spun among debris on the ground. [5]

Meyrick described the female adult of this species as follows:

♀. 6 mm. Head, antennae, thorax, and abdomen ochreous- white. Forewings lanceolate; ochreous-white; a small black dot on fold before 1⁄3 of wing; apical third of wing blackish : cilia ochreous-white, base dark grey. Hindwings and cilia whitish. [3]

The shining white appearance of this species is distinctive. [5]

Distribution

This species is endemic to New Zealand. [6] [7] It has been observed in the South Island. [4]

Habitat and host species

Host species Celmisia coriacea. Celmisia coriacea 253050620.jpg
Host species Celmisia coriacea.

This species inhabits montane to subalpine grassland. [5] The larvae feed on Celmisia species, including Celmisia coriacea and Celmisia densiflora . [8] [9] They mine the leaves of their host plant. [5]

Behaviour

Larva have been recorded in February, April and May. [5] Adults have been recorded in January and from October to December. There is probably one generation per year. [5] Adults of this species run and takes short flights with extreme rapidity. [4]

References

  1. 1 2 3 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.
  2. 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. doi: 10.3897/zookeys.628.9799 . ISSN   1313-2970. PMC   5126388 . PMID   27917038.
  3. 1 2 E. Meyrick (20 December 1917). "Descriptions of New Zealand Lepidoptera". Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute. 49: 247. ISSN   1176-6158. Wikidata   Q109822626. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain .
  4. 1 2 3 Hudson, G. V. (1928), The butterflies and moths of New Zealand, Illustrator: George Hudson, Wellington: Ferguson and Osborn Limited, p. 356, LCCN   88133764, OCLC   25449322, Wikidata   Q58593286 This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain .
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Hans Donner; Christopher Wilkinson (28 April 1989). "Nepticulidae (Insecta: Lepidoptera)". Fauna of New Zealand. 16. Department of Scientific and Industrial Research: 31. doi:10.7931/J2/FNZ.16. ISSN   0111-5383. OCLC   924829916. Wikidata   Q45079930.
  6. ↑ "Stigmella oriastra (Meyrick, 1917)". www.nzor.org.nz. Archived from the original on 2024-12-19. Retrieved 2024-12-31.
  7. ↑ 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.
  8. ↑ "PlantSynz - Invertebrate herbivore biodiversity assessment tool: Database". plant-synz.landcareresearch.co.nz. Retrieved 2018-07-12.
  9. ↑ Brian H. Patrick (1991). "Insects of the Dansey Ecological District" (PDF). Science & Research Series. 32: 14. ISSN   0113-3713. OCLC   154612987. Wikidata   Q110318301. Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 December 2021.
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