Stigmella cassiniae is a moth of the family Nepticulidae.[1] It is endemic to New Zealand and has been observed in the North and South Islands. The larvae are leaf miners of leaves and stems of Ozothamnus leptophyllus. When mature, the larvae pupate amongst leaf litter on the ground. Adult moths have been recorded on the wing in January, February, April, and October. It has been hypothesised that there are likely two generations in a year.
This species was first described in 1989 by Hans Donner and Christopher Wilkinson from specimens collected in the Gisborne, Hawkes Bay, Taranaki and Southland regions. The male holotype specimen, collected at Cheviot Face in the Takitimu Range on 30 January 1976 on Cassinia vauvilliersii (now known as Ozothamnus leptophyllus) by J. S. Dugdale, is held in the New Zealand Arthropod Collection.[2]
Larvae are 2–3 mm long and orange-brown. Adult moths have forewings with a length of between 2–3 mm. Donner and Wilkinson described the adult male of this species as follows:
Donner and Wilkinson went on to described the adult female as follows:
This species is easily identified by its small size and its forewing colouration of golden brown.
This species is endemic to New Zealand and has been observed in the North and South Islands.[3] [4] The species has been observed at Mt. Benger at an altitude of .
The larvae feed on Ozothamnus leptophyllus.[5]