Family CALOPSOCIDAE

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Introduction

Of the eight genera and 32 species known in the family Calopsocidae, only one genus is listed for the Australian fauna, represented by three species. Species for which the habitat has been recorded live on green leaves, including those of palms. Some are brightly coloured, which is an unusual feature in the Psocoptera.

Calopsocids have 13-segmented antennae and 2-segmented tarsi. The head is usually anteroposteriorly shortened so that it is very narrow when viewed from the side and the vertex is sharp, usually with a distinct notch at the median epicranial suture. The claws have a small tooth and the pulvillus is broad. The forewings are very broad with the costal margin thickened at the pterostigma; the radial sector and media are joined by a crossvein and the areola postica is joined to the media by crossvein; the main veins are joined to a variable degree by a complex anastomosing network of accessory veins so that a variable number of irregularly shaped small cells are created over extensive areas of the wing membrane; the veins and margin bear more than one row of setae, except CuP which has one row; the wing membrane is also setose to a varying extent; the marginal setae between the ends of veins R2+3 and R4+5 cross one another. The ninth tergite of the male is variously ornamented with rugose areas and a transverse marginal comb. The phallosome has complex sclerifications of the penial bulb. The gonapophyses are complete. Both the ventral and dorsal valves are pointed and bear spicules and each has a large preapical lobe. The external valve is very large and is strongly setose.

General References

Thornton, I.W.B. & Smithers, C.N. 1984. Systematics of the Calopsocidae, an oriental and melanesian family of Psocoptera. Systematic Entomology 9(2): 183-244 214 figs

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