Essex Groundling
Scrobipalpula diffluella
Scrobipalpula diffluella, the Essex groundling, is a moth of the family Gelechiidae. It is found in northern Europe, and central Europe.
14
Countries
Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scrobipalpula_diffluella
Taxonomy & Classification
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Arthropoda
Class
Insecta
Order
Lepidoptera
Family
Gelechiidae
Genus
Scrobipalpula
Essex Groundling belongs to the family Gelechiidae, order Lepidoptera, within the Insecta class.
Species Profile
Scrobipalpula diffluella, the Essex groundling, is a moth of the family Gelechiidae. It is found in northern Europe, and central Europe. There are scattered records from Great Britain and the Balkan Peninsula.
The Essex Groundling is critically threatened by habitat loss due to coastal development and agricultural intensification in its limited range along the Essex coast. Climate change and sea level rise pose additional threats to its specialized saltmarsh habitats, while the species' extremely restricted distribution makes it vulnerable to local extinctions from any disturbance events.
Key Facts
Habitat & Distribution
Threats
IUCN Red List: Endangered
The Essex Groundling is critically threatened by habitat loss due to coastal development and agricultural intensification in its limited range along the Essex coast. Climate change and sea level rise pose additional threats to its specialized saltmarsh habitats, while the species' extremely restricted distribution makes it vulnerable to local extinctions from any disturbance events.
Agricultural intensification and land use change
Climate change and sea level rise
Coastal development and urbanization
Extremely limited range making populations vulnerable
Habitat fragmentation
Found in 14 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). Essex Groundling (Scrobipalpula diffluella). SpeciesRadar: Intelligence for Earth's Biodiversity. Available at: https://speciesradar.org/species/essex-groundling