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Family PYGMEPHORIDAE Cross, 1965

Introduction

The classification of the Pygmephoridae, Siteroptidae, and some related families has been unstable and confused, partly as a result of widespread polymorphism, in which morphologically different phoretic and non-phoretic females occur in the same species. The classification used here is that of Walter et al. (2009). The Pygmephoridae as defined there includes at least 350 species in about 30 genera. Most species are associated with insects, including beetles, Hymenoptera, moths, and to a lesser extent, flies and other arthropod groups. Other species occur in birds' nests, mammal nests, under bark, and in dung and other decaying organic matter. They are fungivores, and some species are pests in commercial mushroom cultivation. The Australian Pygmephoridae are poorly known, with only five species in four genera. Unidentified species have been recorded from Australia a number of times as listed for each genus, and unidentified Pygmephoridae were also reported by Kinnear & Tongway (2004), Philips (2009), Beyer et al. (2011) and Proctor et al. (2011). It is likely that many more species await discovery.

 

History of changes

Note that this list may be incomplete for dates prior to September 2013.
Published As part of group Action Date Action Type Compiler(s)
07-May-2013 07-May-2013 MODIFIED
29-Jul-2010 29-Jul-2010 MOVED
07-May-2013 09-Jul-2010 ADDED
08-Jul-2010 MODIFIED