Pygidicranidae is a family of

earwig Earwigs make up the insect order Dermaptera. With about 2,000 species in 12 families, they are one of the smaller insect orders. Earwigs have characteristic cerci, a pair of forcep-like pincers on their abdomen, and membranous wings folde ...

s, formerly placed in the suborder

Forficulina Neodermaptera, sometimes called Catadermaptera,BioLib.cz
suborder Catadermaptera Steinmann, 1986 (retrieved 16 Se ...

, now in the suborder

Neodermaptera Neodermaptera, sometimes called Catadermaptera,BioLib.cz
suborder Catadermaptera Steinmann, 1986 (retrieved 16 Se ...

. The family currently contains twelve subfamilies and twenty six genera. Eight of the subfamilies are

monotypic In biology, a monotypic taxon is a taxonomic group (taxon) that contains only one immediately subordinate taxon. A monotypic species is one that does not include subspecies or smaller, infraspecific taxa. In the case of genera, the term "unispe ...

, each containing a single genus. Of the subfamilies, both Astreptolabidinae and Burmapygiinae are extinct and known solely from fossils found in Burmese amber. Similarly ''Archaeosoma'', ''Gallinympha'', and ''Geosoma'', which have not been placed into any of the subfamilies, are also known only from fossils. Living members of the family are found in Australia, South Africa,A Dictionary of Entomology
accessed 4 September 2012 North America,Encyclopedia of Insects
accessed 4 September 2012 and Asia. The monotypic genus ''Anataelia'', described by Ignacio Bolivar in 1899, is found only on the Canary Islands.The Entomologist's record and journal of variation, Volume 14
accessed 4 September 2012 As with all members of Neodermaptera, pygidicranids do not have any

ocelli A simple eye (sometimes called a pigment pit) refers to a form of eye or an optical arrangement composed of a single lens and without an elaborate retina such as occurs in most vertebrates. In this sense "simple eye" is distinct from a multi-l ...

. The typical pygidicranid bodyplan includes a small, flattened-looking body, which has a dense covering of bristly hairs (

setae In biology, setae (singular seta ; from the Latin word for " bristle") are any of a number of different bristle- or hair-like structures on living organisms. Animal setae Protostomes Annelid setae are stiff bristles present on the body. ...

). The pair of cerci at the end of the abdomen are symmetrical in structure. The head is broad, with the fourth, fifth and sixth antenna segments ( antennomeres) that are not transverse. In general Pygidicranids also have equally sized ventral cervical

sclerite A sclerite (Greek , ', meaning " hard") is a hardened body part. In various branches of biology the term is applied to various structures, but not as a rule to vertebrate anatomical features such as bones and teeth. Instead it refers most commonly ...

s, and in having the rearmost sclerite separated from, or only touching the center of the

prosternum The prothorax is the foremost of the three segments in the thorax of an insect, and bears the first pair of legs. Its principal sclerites (exoskeletal plates) are the pronotum (dorsal), the prosternum (ventral), and the propleuron (lateral) on ea ...

. Cannibalism of young has been observed in at least one species in the family, '' Challia hongkongensis'', in which an adult female was found eating a still-living

nymph A nymph ( grc, νύμφη, nýmphē, el, script=Latn, nímfi, label= Modern Greek; , ) in ancient Greek folklore is a minor female nature deity. Different from Greek goddesses, nymphs are generally regarded as personifications of nature, are ...

of the same species. The same species in a different area has been observed possibly eating fruits or seeds, making the species an omnivore.

Taxonomy

Current Pygidicranidae subfamilies and genera, as listed in the Dermaptera Species File.Dermaptera Species File Pygidicranidae entry
accessed 4 September 2012 Pygidicranidae Verhoeff, 1902 * Genus '' Cylindopygia'' Yang et al. 2015 ( Aptian;

Yixian Formation The Yixian Formation (; formerly transcribed as Yihsien Formation) is a geological formation in Jinzhou, Liaoning, People's Republic of China, that spans the late Barremian and early Aptian stages of the Early Cretaceous. It is known for its exq ...

) *Subfamily Anataeliinae Burr, 1909 (Syn. Anataelinae) **Genus '' Anataelia'' Bolivar, 1899 *Subfamily † Astreptolabidinae Engel, 2011 **Genus †'' Astreptolabis'' Engel, 2011 ( Cenomanian;

Burmese Amber Burmese amber, also known as Burmite or Kachin amber, is amber from the Hukawng Valley in northern Myanmar. The amber is dated to around 100 million years ago, during the latest Albian to earliest Cenomanian ages of the mid-Cretaceous period. The ...

) *Subfamily Blandicinae Burr, 1915 **Genus '' Alloblandex'' Hincks, 1957 **Genus '' Austroblandex'' Brindle, 1987 **Genus '' Blandex'' Burr, 1912 **Genus '' Parablandex'' Brindle, 1966 *Subfamily Brindlensiinae Srivastava, 1985 **Genus '' Brindlensia'' Srivastava, 1985 *Subfamily † Burmapygiinae Engel & Grimaldi, 2004 **Genus †'' Burmapygia'' Engel & Grimaldi, 2004 (Cenomanian; Burmese Amber) *Subfamily Challiinae Steinmann, 1973 (Syn. Challinae) **Genus '' Challia'' Burr, 1904 *Subfamily Cylindrogastrinae Maccagno, 1929 **Genus '' Cylindrogaster'' Stal, 1855 *Subfamily Diplatymorphinae Boeseman, 1954 **Genus '' Diplatymorpha'' Boeseman, 1954 *Subfamily Echinosomatinae Burr, 1910 (Syn. Prolabisciinae, Prolabiscinae, Protolabidinae, Protolabinae) **Genus '' Echinosoma'' AudinetServille, 1839 **Genus '' Parapsalis'' Borelli, 1921 *Subfamily Esphalmeninae Burr, 1909 **Genus '' Esphalmenus'' Burr, 1909 *Subfamily Pygidicraninae Verhoeff, 1902 **Genus '' Acrania'' Burr, 1915 **Genus '' Cranopygia'' Burr, 1908 **Genus '' Dacnodes'' Burr, 1907 **Genus '' Mucrocranopygia'' Steinmann, 1986 **Genus '' Paracranopygia'' Steinmann, 1986 **Genus '' Pygidicrana'' AudinetServille, 1831 **Genus '' Tagalina'' Dohrn, 1862 *Subfamily Pyragrinae Verhoeff, 1902 **Genus '' Echinopsalis'' de Bormans, 1893 **Genus '' Pyragra'' AudinetServille, 1831 **Genus '' Pyragropsis'' Borelli, 1908 *Subfamily ''

incertae sedis ' () or ''problematica'' is a term used for a taxonomic group where its broader relationships are unknown or undefined. Alternatively, such groups are frequently referred to as "enigmatic taxa". In the system of open nomenclature, uncertain ...

'' **Genus †'' Archaeosoma'' Zhang, 1994 **Genus †'' Gallinympha'' Perrichot & Engel, 2011 **Genus †'' Geosoma'' Zhang, 1997

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q1942192 Dermaptera families Taxa named by Karl Wilhelm Verhoeff