Family AMPHIENTOMIDAE

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Introduction

Amphientomidae, comprising two genera and 16 species, are distinctive as the only Psocoptera other than the Lepidopsocidae which are scaly. Three genera and five species are recorded in the Australian fauna, including Christmas Island (Smithers 1995). Most species are found on rocks, often near water, but they are seldom common.

Amphientomids have 15-segmented antennae which are secondarily 'annulated'. The ocelli are not grouped. The maxillary palps may have a sensillum on the second segment. In the forewing the pterostigmal area is not thickened and there are two anal veins. The tarsi are 3-segmented and the claws have one or two teeth. The gonapophyses are complete, without setae. The female subgenital plate usually has an internal T-shaped sclerite. The phallosome has divergent parameres arising from a median anterior plate. The eggs are smooth and are covered with an encrustation of debris.

General References

Enderlein, G. 1906. The scaly-winged Copeognatha (Monograph of the Amphientomidae, Lepidopsocidae and Lepidillidae in relation to their morphology and taxonomy). Spolia Zeylanica 4: 39-122 6 figs pls A-G

Smithers, C.N. 1989. Two new species of Amphientomidae (Insecta: Psocoptera), the first record of the family for Australia. Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales 111(1): 31-35 9 figs

Smithers, C.N. 1995. Psocoptera (Insecta) of Christmas Island. Invertebrate Taxonomy 9: 529-561

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