Stigmella propalaea is a species of moth in the family Nepticulidae. It is endemic to New Zealand. This species is classified as "Data Deficient" by the Department of Conservation.

Stigmella propalaea
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Nepticulidae
Genus: Stigmella
Species:
S. propalaea
Binomial name
Stigmella propalaea
(Meyrick, 1889)
Synonyms
  • Nepticula propalaea Meyrick, 1889

Taxonomy

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This species was described by Edward Meyrick in 1889 using a specimen collected at Arthur's Pass at 600m above sea-level.[1] Meyrick named the species Nepticula propalaea. George Hudson discussed this species under that name in his 1928 publication The Butterflies and Moths of New Zealand.[2] In 1988 John S. Dugdale assigned this species to the genus Stigmella.[3] The holotype specimen is held at the Natural History Museum, London.[3] This species is only known from its holotype and the specimen is in poor condition.[4]

Description

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Meyrick described the species as follows:

♀. 7mm. Head, palpi, antennæ, and thorax whitish-ochreous. Abdomen light grey. Legs whitish-ochreous, anterior pair infuscated. Forewings lanceolate; whitish-ochreous, obscurely irrorated with brownish; a dark fuscous dot on fold at 14, a second in disc before middle, and a third immediately before apex: cilia whitish-ochreous. Hindwings light grey; cilia whitish-ochreous-grey.[1]

Distribution

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It is endemic to New Zealand.[5][6] This species is only known from its type locality of Arthur's Pass.[4]

Biology and behaviour

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The adult moths are on the wing in January.[2] The female of this species has yet to be collected.[4]

Conservation status

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This species has been classified as having the "Data Deficient" conservation status under the New Zealand Threat Classification System.[7]

References

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  1. ^ a b Meyrick, Edward (1889). "Descriptions of New Zealand Micro-Lepidoptera". Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute. 21: 154–188. Retrieved 3 June 2018.
  2. ^ a b Hudson, G. V. (1928). The Butterflies and Moths of New Zealand. Wellington: Ferguson & Osborn Ltd. p. 355. OCLC 25449322.
  3. ^ a b Dugdale, J. S. (1988). "Lepidoptera - annotated catalogue, and keys to family-group taxa" (PDF). Fauna of New Zealand. 14: 1–269. ISBN 0477025188. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 July 2019. Retrieved 3 June 2018.
  4. ^ a b c Donner, Hans; Wilkinson, Christopher (1989). Nepticulidae (Insecta: Lepidoptera) (PDF). Wellington, N.Z.: Landcare Research New Zealand Ltd. p. 34. ISBN 0477025382. OCLC 20709336.
  5. ^ "Stigmella propalaea (Meyrick, 1889)". www.nzor.org.nz. Landcare Research New Zealand Ltd. Retrieved 2018-06-03.
  6. ^ Gordon, Dennis P., ed. (2010). New Zealand inventory of biodiversity. Volume two. Kingdom animalia : chaetognatha, ecdysozoa, ichnofossils. Vol. 2. Christchurch, N.Z.: Canterbury University Press. p. 461. ISBN 9781877257933. OCLC 973607714.
  7. ^ 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: 8. ISBN 9781988514383.
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