Stigmella progama facts for kids

Stigmella progama is a tiny moth that belongs to the Nepticulidae family. This special moth lives only in New Zealand. It is so rare that experts at the Department of Conservation don't have enough information about it. They call its status "Data Deficient." So far, S. progama has only been found in one place: Bold Peak in Otago.

How This Moth Got Its Name

In 1924, a scientist named Edward Meyrick first described this moth. He studied a female moth found by George Hudson. George Hudson found the moth on Bold Peak in the Humboldt Mountains.

Meyrick first named the moth Nepticula progama. Later, in 1988, another scientist, John S. Dugdale, moved it to the Stigmella group. The original moth specimen, called a holotype, is kept safe at the Natural History Museum, London.

What Does It Look Like?

When Edward Meyrick described this moth, he noted some key features. The female moth is about 5 millimeters long. Its head is white, and the hairs on the back of its head are yellowish. The body (thorax) is white, with some blackish and grey specks.

Forewings and Hindwings

The front wings (forewings) are white. They have grey and blackish specks, especially near the base. There are also irregular grey patches on the edges that meet in the middle. Near the tip of the wing, there's a greyish patch with blackish specks, but the very tip stays whitish. The tiny hairs (cilia) around the wing edges are whitish-grey, becoming whitish at the tip. The back wings (hindwings) and their cilia are grey.

Where Does This Moth Live?

This moth is endemic to New Zealand. This means it is found nowhere else in the world. So far, it has only been discovered in one specific spot. This spot is its "type locality" in the Humboldt Mountains in Otago. It lives at a high elevation, about 1,200 meters (almost 4,000 feet) above sea level.

Life and Habits

Scientists have only seen adult Stigmella progama moths flying in January. This is likely when they are active. Interestingly, only female moths have been found and studied so far. The male of this species has not yet been collected or described.

Conservation Status

Because so little is known about Stigmella progama, it has a special conservation status. The New Zealand Threat Classification System lists it as "Data Deficient." This means there isn't enough information to know if the moth is rare, common, or in danger. More research is needed to understand its population and needs.