Blackthorn slender
Parornix torquillella
Parornix torquillella is a moth of the family Gracillariidae found in Europe. The larvae mine the leaves of Prunus species, such as blackthorn.
22
Countries
Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parornix_torquillella
Taxonomy & Classification
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Arthropoda
Class
Insecta
Order
Lepidoptera
Family
Gracillariidae
Genus
Parornix
Blackthorn slender belongs to the family Gracillariidae, order Lepidoptera, within the Insecta class.
Species Profile
Parornix torquillella is a moth of the family Gracillariidae found in Europe. The larvae mine the leaves of Prunus species, such as blackthorn. It was described by the German entomologist Philipp Christoph Zeller in 1850, from specimens found in Florence, Leghorn and Pisa.
Parornix torquillella faces significant decline primarily due to habitat loss and degradation of its specialized host plant environments. The species is particularly vulnerable because of its narrow ecological requirements and dependence on specific plant communities that are increasingly fragmented and destroyed.
Key Facts
Habitat & Distribution
It is known from all of Europe, except Spain and parts of the Balkan Peninsula.
Threats
IUCN Red List: Endangered
Parornix torquillella faces significant decline primarily due to habitat loss and degradation of its specialized host plant environments. The species is particularly vulnerable because of its narrow ecological requirements and dependence on specific plant communities that are increasingly fragmented and destroyed.
Agricultural intensification
Habitat loss and fragmentation
Climate change impacts on host plants
Pesticide use
Urban development
Found in 22 Countries
Community Sightings
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Sources & Attribution
How to Cite
IUCN: IUCN (2025). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2025-1. Available at: https://www.iucnredlist.org. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2025-1.RLTS
GBIF: GBIF.org (2025). GBIF Home Page. Available at: https://www.gbif.org
This page: SpeciesRadar (2025). Blackthorn slender (Parornix torquillella). SpeciesRadar: Intelligence for Earth's Biodiversity. Available at: https://speciesradar.org/species/blackthorn-slender