Stigmella splendidissimella (Herrich-Schäffer, 1855)
Diagnosis. Characterised by the combination of black head, greenish golden thorax and base of forewing and otherwise purplish brown forewing and pale golden fascia. The male genitalia are somewhat similar to those of S. pretiosa, but the cornuti in splendidissimella are smaller and more numerous. Also the female genitalia are similar to those of S. pretiosa, but differ in having the larger corpus bursae, smaller vestibulum (less swollen than in pretiosa) and markedly smaller apophyses.
Male. Wingspan: 4.5-6.0 mm. Head: frontal tuft ochreous to dark brown, vertex black; collar purplish black; scape white to pale yellow, lustrous; antenna two-thirds length of forewing, dark grey. Thorax greenish golden, brightly shining. Forewing: area proximal to fascia greenish golden at base, turning into purplish brown at one-fifth; fascia pale golden; distal to fascia dark purplish brown to dark violet-blue; terminal cilia dark grey-brown. Hindwing and cilia grey-brown. Abdomen brownish black, lustrous. Female. Wingspan: 4.5-6.0 mm. Antenna slightly shorter than in male. Male genitalia. Genitalia relatively large. Vinculum long; anterior margin with rather narrow emargination and broad corners. Uncus long, with deep medial emargination and distinct paramedial notches. Valva markedly constricted before middle; medial surface of inner lobe expanded at midlength and set with many rounded protuberances; distal process long and slightly curved. Transtilla very broad, without distinct sublateral processes. Juxta present. Aedeagus slightly longer than genital capsule, with 75-100 relatively short cornuti, proximal portion with numerous small spines. Female genitalia. Corpus bursae large, with sparse, fine pectinations. Vestibulum large, with transverse folds. Accessory sac distinctly shorter than corpus bursae. Ductus spermathecae prominently spined. Apophyses posteriores distinctly longer than anteriores.
Host plants: Rubus fruticosus, R. caesius, R. idaeus, R. saxatilis, R. arcticus and R. chamaemorus, Agrimonia, Geum, Fragaria vesca, Potentilla anserina, and Filipendula vulgaris. Egg: on either upper or lower surface of leaf. Larva: yellow. Mine : a long, gradually widening, irregular gallery; frass in an interrupted central line or discrete dots. The mine is variable and cannot be reliably separated from those of S aurella. Vacated mines on Rubus turn white. Cocoon: grey-brown to greenish.
From all districts in Denmark except B. in southern Sweden up to Gstr. In Norway from TE(y). Widely distributed in Finland up to LkE north of the Arctic Circle. - Widely distributed in Ireland and Great Britain, northern and central Europe.
Voltinism: two generations per year in Scandinavia; larvae in July and from mid-September to mid-October in Sweden.
Description based on Johansson and Nielsen (1990)
