Thylacosceles acridomima

Thylacosceles acridomima, also known as the pūniu spore-eater or the micro-featherfoot, is a moth of the family Stathmopodidae. This species is endemic to New Zealand. It was first described by Edward Meyrick in 1889.

Description
The mature larva of this species is between 5 and 6 mm long and is short and fat with a whitish flesh coloured body and pale brown head.

Meyrick described the adult male of this species as follows: "♂. 11mm. Head and palpi light yellowish-ochreous. Antennae whitish-fuscous, base yellowish. Thorax fuscous. Abdomen grey. Anterior legs dark fuscous ; middle legs ochreous-yellowish ; posterior legs ochreous- whitish, tibiae with a black apical ring, and tuft of posterior half dark grey. Forewings elongate, very narrow, broadest near base, long-pointed ; fuscous, somewhat unevenly shaded, but without markings : cilia light fuscous. Hindwings fuscous-grey ; cilia light fuscous."

Behaviour
The larvae of this species create a silk tunnel on the underside of fronds of their host species. The adults of this species are on the wing from October to January.

Hosts
The larval host of this species is Polystichum vestitum. The larvae feed on the spores of this plant.