Common thorn midget
Phyllonorycter oxyacanthae
Phyllonorycter oxyacanthae is a moth of the family Gracillariidae found in all of Europe except the Balkan Peninsula. It was described by the German-born Swiss entomologist, Heinrich Frey in 1856.
25
Countries
Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phyllonorycter_oxyacanthae
Taxonomy & Classification
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Arthropoda
Class
Insecta
Order
Lepidoptera
Family
Gracillariidae
Genus
Phyllonorycter
Common thorn midget belongs to the family Gracillariidae, order Lepidoptera, within the Insecta class.
Species Profile
Phyllonorycter oxyacanthae is a moth of the family Gracillariidae found in all of Europe except the Balkan Peninsula. It was described by the German-born Swiss entomologist, Heinrich Frey in 1856. The larvae are known as leaf miners, living inside the leaves of their food plants.
The Common thorn midget (Phyllonorycter oxyacanthae) is declining primarily due to habitat loss and degradation of its host plant communities. The species faces significant pressure from agricultural intensification, urbanization, and changes in land management practices that reduce the availability of hawthorn and related Rosaceae species.
Key Facts
Threats
IUCN Red List: Endangered
The Common thorn midget (Phyllonorycter oxyacanthae) is declining primarily due to habitat loss and degradation of its host plant communities. The species faces significant pressure from agricultural intensification, urbanization, and changes in land management practices that reduce the availability of hawthorn and related Rosaceae species.
Agricultural intensification
Habitat loss and fragmentation
Loss of host plants (hawthorn species)
Changes in woodland management practices
Urban development
Found in 25 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). Common thorn midget (Phyllonorycter oxyacanthae). SpeciesRadar: Intelligence for Earth's Biodiversity. Available at: https://speciesradar.org/species/common-thorn-midget