Gentian Plume
Stenoptilia pneumonanthes
Stenoptilia pneumonanthes, also known as the gentian plume, is a moth of the family Pterophoridae found in central Europe and Russia. It was first described by Friedrich Otto Büttner in 1880.
14
Countries
Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stenoptilia_pneumonanthes
Taxonomy & Classification
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Arthropoda
Class
Insecta
Order
Lepidoptera
Family
Pterophoridae
Genus
Stenoptilia
Gentian Plume belongs to the family Pterophoridae, order Lepidoptera, within the Insecta class.
Species Profile
Stenoptilia pneumonanthes, also known as the gentian plume, is a moth of the family Pterophoridae found in central Europe and Russia. It was first described by Friedrich Otto Büttner in 1880.
The Gentian Plume moth is critically endangered primarily due to habitat loss and degradation of its specialized wetland environments where its host plant, marsh gentian, grows. The species faces severe population decline from drainage of fens and marshes, agricultural intensification, and changes in traditional land management practices that maintained suitable habitat conditions.
Key Facts
Habitat & Distribution
Threats
IUCN Red List: Critically Endangered
The Gentian Plume moth is critically endangered primarily due to habitat loss and degradation of its specialized wetland environments where its host plant, marsh gentian, grows. The species faces severe population decline from drainage of fens and marshes, agricultural intensification, and changes in traditional land management practices that maintained suitable habitat conditions.
Agricultural intensification and land conversion
Decline of host plant (marsh gentian) populations
Habitat loss from wetland drainage
Climate change affecting wetland hydrology
Loss of traditional grazing management
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). Gentian Plume (Stenoptilia pneumonanthes). SpeciesRadar: Intelligence for Earth's Biodiversity. Available at: https://speciesradar.org/species/gentian-plume