Stigmella suberivora

Stigmella suberivora
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Nepticulidae
Genus: Stigmella
Species: S. suberivora
Binomial name
Stigmella suberivora
(Stainton, 1869)
Synonyms
  • Nepticula suberivora Stainton, 1869
  • Nepticula aureocapitella Millière, 1870
  • Nepticula ilicivora Peyerimhoff, 1871
  • Nepticula ilicella Walsingham, 1891

Stigmella suberivora is a moth of the Nepticulidae family. It is widespread in the western Mediterranean region, where it is found in Portugal, Spain, southern France (along the Atlantic coast northwards to Brittany), Italy, Corsica, Sardinia, Sicily, the Adriatic coast in Slovenia, Croatia and Bosnia. It is also found in North Africa, including Algeria and Tunisia. It is an introduced and established species in southern England. Records of leafmines in Mallorca are probably also this species.

The wingspan is 4.8-7.1 mm. Adults are on wing from April to October.

The larvae feed on Quercus coccifera, Quercus ilex, Quercus ilex rotundifolia and Quercus suber. They mine the leaves of their host plant. The mine consists of an irregular, broad corridor. The frass is concentrated in a broad frass line that almost fills the gallery, leaving only a narrow transparent zone at either side. Pupation takes place outside of the mine.

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