Stigmella propalaea

Stigmella propalaea is a species of moth in the family Nepticulidae. It is endemic to New Zealand. This species is classified as "Data Deficient" by the Department of Conservation.

Taxonomy
This species was described by Edward Meyrick in 1889 using a specimen collected at Arthur's Pass at 600m above sea-level. Meyrick named the species Nepticula propalaea. George Hudson discussed this species under that name in his 1928 publication The Butterflies and Moths of New Zealand. In 1988 John S. Dugdale assigned this species to the genus Stigmella. The holotype specimen is held at the Natural History Museum, London. This species is only known from its holotype and the specimen is in poor condition.

Description
Meyrick described the species as follows: "♀. 7mm. Head, palpi, antennæ, and thorax whitish-ochreous. Abdomen light grey. Legs whitish-ochreous, anterior pair infuscated. Forewings lanceolate; whitish-ochreous, obscurely irrorated with brownish; a dark fuscous dot on fold at $1/4$, a second in disc before middle, and a third immediately before apex: cilia whitish-ochreous. Hindwings light grey; cilia whitish-ochreous-grey."

Distribution
It is endemic to New Zealand. This species is only known from its type locality of Arthur's Pass.

Biology and behaviour
The adult moths are on the wing in January. The female of this species has yet to be collected.

Conservation status
This species has been classified as having the "Data Deficient" conservation status under the New Zealand Threat Classification System.