Stigmella leucargyra
Encyclopedia
Stigmella leucargyra is a moth
of the Nepticulidae
family. It is only known from the south-eastern coast of New South Wales
.
The wingspan
is about 3.7 mm for males and 4-4.2 mm for females.
The larvae feed on Correa reflexa
. They mine
the leaves of their host plant. The mine consists of an irregular contorted gallery in the leaf.
Larvae where found in July and August. Adults emerged in early September. The larvae are bright green with a blackish head.
Moth
A moth is an insect closely related to the butterfly, both being of the order Lepidoptera. Moths form the majority of this order; there are thought to be 150,000 to 250,000 different species of moth , with thousands of species yet to be described...
of the Nepticulidae
Nepticulidae
Nepticulidae is a family of very small moths with a worldwide distribution. They are characterised by eyecaps over the eyes . These pigmy moths or midget moths, as they are commonly known, include the smallest of all living moths, with a wingspan that can be as little as 3 mm...
family. It is only known from the south-eastern coast of New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
.
The wingspan
Wingspan
The wingspan of an airplane or a bird, is the distance from one wingtip to the other wingtip. For example, the Boeing 777 has a wingspan of about ; and a Wandering Albatross caught in 1965 had a wingspan of , the official record for a living bird.The term wingspan, more technically extent, is...
is about 3.7 mm for males and 4-4.2 mm for females.
The larvae feed on Correa reflexa
Correa reflexa
Correa reflexa, commonly known as Common Correa or Native Fuchsia, is a shrub which is endemic to Australia.The species was first formally described in 1800 by botanist Jacques Labillardière in Relation du Voyage à la Recherche de la Pérouse based on the type from Adventure Bay in southern...
. They mine
Leaf miner
Leaf miner is a term used to describe the larvae of many different species of insect which live in and eat the leaf tissue of plants. The vast majority of leaf-mining insects are moths , sawflies and flies , though some beetles and wasps also exhibit this behavior.Like Woodboring beetles, leaf...
the leaves of their host plant. The mine consists of an irregular contorted gallery in the leaf.
Larvae where found in July and August. Adults emerged in early September. The larvae are bright green with a blackish head.