Stigmella perpygmaeella

Stigmella perpygmaeella is a moth of the family Nepticulidae, found in most of Europe, east to Russia. The larvae mine the leaves of hawthorns.

Stigmella perpygmaeella
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Nepticulidae
Genus: Stigmella
Species:
S. perpygmaeella
Binomial name
Stigmella perpygmaeella
(Doubleday, 1859)[1]
Synonyms
  • Tinea pygmaeella Haworth, 1828
  • Nepticula perpygmaeella Doubleday, 1859

Life cycle

The wingspan is 5–6 mm. The thick erect hairs on the head vertex are yellow-white and the collar is also yellow-white. Antennal eyecaps yellow-white. Forewings are dark grey brown wth purple at the apex. Hindwings are grey. Adults are on wing in May and August.[2]

Ovum

Eggs are usually laid on the upperside of a hawthorn leaf, beside the midrib.[3]

Larvae

The larvae are yellow with a brown head.[3] They feed on woodland hawthorn (Crataegus laevigata) and common hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna), mining their leaves. The mine consists of a compact, twisting corridor that twists back on itself and widens into a false blotch. The early gallery is filled with brown frass and is broad. Later the frass is coiled. The mine is constrained between two veins, or less frequently, a lateral vein and the leaf margin. Mines can be found in July and October. The mine of Stigmella crataegella is similar but the initial gallery is thinner and the larva is green.[2][4][5][6]

  • Stigmella perpygmaeella mine.
    Stigmella perpygmaeella mine.
  • Stigmella crataegella mine. Note the initial narrow gallery.
    Stigmella crataegella mine. Note the initial narrow gallery.
Pupa

In a dull pink cocoon, spun in detritus.[3][7]

Distribution

Stigmella perpygmaeella is found in most of Europe, from Ireland, east to Russia.[1]

Etymology

Stigmella perpygmaeella was originally named pygmaeus, (i.e. a small size) by the English entomologist, Adrian Haworth in 1828, from a specimen found in Chelsea, at that time in the county of Middlesex, England. As this name was already in use it was renamed by Henry Doubleday in 1859 with the specific name perpygmaeella. Haworth originally placed the moth in the genus, Tinea – a gnawing worm. Doubleday moved pygmaeus to the genus Nepticula – a grand daughter, the smallest member of a family (i.e. the small size of the moth) when he renamed it perpygmaeella. The genus Stigmella – ″stigma″, refers to the conspicuous (or occasionally metallic) small dot or a brand fascia on the forewing of many of the Stigmella species, or possibly the small size of the moths.[8]

References
  1. "Stigmella perpygmaeella (Doubleday, 1859)". Fauna Europaea. Retrieved 28 December 2022.
  2. Kimber, Ian. "Stigmella perpygmaeella (Doubleday, 1859)". UKmoths. Retrieved 30 December 2022.
  3. Emmet, A M (1983). Nepticulidae. In The Moths and Butterflies of Great Britain and Ireland. Volume 1. Colchester: Harley Books. pp. 234–5. ISBN 0-946589-15-1.
  4. Ellis, W N. "Stigmella perpygmaeella (Doubleday, 1859) least thorn pigmy". Plant Parasites of Europe. Retrieved 28 December 2022.
  5. "4.054 Stigmella perpygmaeella (Doubleday, 1859)". British Leafminers. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
  6. "4.023 Stigmella crataegella (Klimesch, 1936)". British Leafminers. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
  7. Emmet, A M, ed. (1988). A Field Guide to the Smaller British Lepidoptera (Second ed.). London: British Entomological and Natural History Society. p. 24.
  8. Emmet, A Maitland (1991). The Scientific Names of the British Lepidoptera. Their history and meaning. Colchester: Harley Books. pp. 45, 46 & 59. ISBN 0-946589-35-6.
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