Stigmella maoriella
| Stigmella maoriella | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Nepticulidae |
| Genus: | Stigmella |
| Species: | S. maoriella
|
| Binomial name | |
| Stigmella maoriella (Walker, 1864)
| |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Stigmella maoriella is a species of moth in the family Nepticulidae. It is endemic to New Zealand. It is classified as Not Threatened by the Department of Conservation.
Taxonomy[edit]
This species was described by Francis Walker in 1864 and named Tinea maoriella using a specimen collected by Lt Col Daniel Bolton, RE.[2] In 1988 John S. Dugdale assigned the species to the genus Stigmella.[3] The lectotype specimen is held at the Natural History Museum, London.[3]
Description[edit]
Walker described the species as follows:
Female. Cinereous, shining. Head white. Palpi very short. Fore wings rounded at the tips, with a short transverse dark cinereous line near the base, and with two dark cinereous bands, each of which contains a black point ; space along the exterior border with black speckles. Length of the body 1 line ; of the wings 2+1⁄2 lines.[2]
Distribution[edit]
This species is endemic to New Zealand.[4] It is found from Auckland to Hawke's Bay.[5]
It can be differentiated from its close relatives S. ogygia and S. hakekeae as S. maoriella lacks the large cornutus on the aedeagus of the male of the species.[6] S. maoriella is also larger than S. ilsea.[6]
Habitat and host species[edit]
The larvae of this species feed on Olearia species.[5]
Conservation status[edit]
This species has been classified as being "Not Threatened" under the New Zealand Threat Classification System.[1]
References[edit]
- ^ a b Hoare, R.J.B.; Dugdale, J.S.; Edwards, E.D.; Gibbs, G.W.; Patrick, B.H.; Hitchmough, R.A.; Rolfe, J.R. (2017). "Conservation status of New Zealand butterflies and moths (Lepidoptera), 2015" (PDF). New Zealand Threat Classification Series. 20: 9.
- ^ a b Walker, Francis (1864). "Part XXX. Tineites". List of the Specimens of Lepidopterous Insects in the Collection of the British Museum. London: 837–1096. Retrieved 30 May 2018.
- ^ a b Dugdale, J. S. (1988). "Lepidoptera - annotated catalogue, and keys to family-group taxa" (PDF). Fauna of New Zealand. 14: 54 – via Landcare Research New Zealand Ltd.
- ^ "Stigmella maoriella (Walker, 1864)". www.nzor.org.nz. Landcare Research New Zealand Ltd. Retrieved 2018-05-30.
- ^ a b "NZTCS - Lepidoptera spreadsheet". www.doc.govt.nz. 2013. Retrieved 29 May 2018.
- ^ a b Donner, Hans; Wilkinson, Christopher (1989). "Nepticulidae (Insecta: Lepidoptera)" (PDF). Fauna of New Zealand. 16: 28–29. ISBN 0477025382.
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