Stigmella aurella is a moth of the family Nepticulidae found in Africa, Asia and Europe. It was first described by the Danish zoologist, Johan Christian Fabricius in 1775. The larvae are leaf miners.
| Stigmella aurella | |
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Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Nepticulidae |
| Genus: | Stigmella |
| Species: | S. aurella
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| Binomial name | |
| Stigmella aurella | |
| Synonyms | |
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List
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Description
editThe wingspan is 6–7 millimetres (0.24–0.28 in). The head is ferruginous to orange. Antennal eyecaps ochreous-whitish. Forewings shining copper gold ; a shining pale golden fascia beyond middle, preceded by a purplish or dark purple-fuscous fascia, apical area beyond this dark purple to fuscous. Hindwings rather dark grey.[2] Adults are on wing in May and later in the summer.[3]
- Ovum
Eggs are laid on either side of a leaf.[4]
- Larva
Larvae are amber yellow with a greenish-brown gut and a yellow-brown head. The mine is a long sinuous gallery which gradually widens and the frass is dispersed.[5] Larvae feed on common agrimony (Agrimonia eupatoria), Agrimonia procera, bastard-agrimony (Aremonia agrimonoides), musk strawberry (Fragaria moschata), wild strawberry (Fragaria vesca), creamy strawberry (Fragaria viridis), water avens (Geum rivale), wood avens (Geum urbanum), European dewberry (Rubus caesius), Rubus dumetorum, European blackberry (Rubus fruticosus), raspberry (Rubus idaeus), blackberry (Rubus plicatus), holy bramble (Rubus sanguineus), stone bramble (Rubus saxatilis) and elmleaf blackberry (Rubus ulmifolius).[6]
- Pupa
The larva pupates in a cocoon which is spun in detritus. It varies in colour from pale green to pale ochreous.[4][5]
Gallery
edit-
Mine on Geum species -
Mine on Fragaria species -
mine on bramble -
Mine, on bramble, showing the frass, -
Vacated cocoon showing the exuvia -
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Distribution
editIt is found in Europe from Ireland to Ukraine, the Near East, and the eastern part of the Palearctic realm.
Taxonomy
editThe genus Stigmella was erected by the German priest, botanist and entomologist, Franz von Paula Schrank in 1802. Stigma refers to the small spot or a brand, possibly from the small size of the moths, or more likely from the conspicuous (sometimes metallic) fascia on the forewing of many of the species in the genus. The word stigma in English can sometimes signify a mark of disgrace, although not in this case, as Schrank called the moths Edelmotte, i.e. noble moths. Initially, Stigmella had family rather than generic status. The specific name aurella, comes from aurum referring to gold; from the golden, metallic fascia on the forewing.[7]
References
edit- ^ "Stigmella aurella (Fabricius, 1775)". PESI portal. Retrieved 3 January 2024.
- ^ Meyrick, E., 1895 A Handbook of British Lepidoptera MacMillan, London pdf
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain. Keys and description
- ^ "Stigmella aurella". UK Moths. Retrieved 8 December 2019.
- ^ a b Emmet, A M, ed. (1988). A Field Guide To The Smaller British Lepidoptera (Second ed.). London: British Entomological & Natural History Society. p. 21. ISBN 0 9502891-6-7.
- ^ a b Emmet, A M (1983). Heath, John (ed.). Nepticulidae. In The Moths and Butterflies of Great Britain and Ireland. Volume 1. Colchester: Harley Books. pp. 171, 214–5. ISBN 0-946589-03-8.
- ^ "Stigmella aurella (Fabricius, 1775)". Bladmineerders.nl. Retrieved 3 January 2023.
- ^ Emmet, A Maitland (1991). The Scientific Names of the British Lepidoptera. Their history and meaning. Colchester: Harley Books. p. 42. ISBN 0-946589-35-6.
