Anisolepisma Paclt, 1967

Smith, Graeme B., 2016, Revision of the Genus Anisolepisma (Zygentoma: Lepismatidae: Acrotelsatinae), Records of the Australian Museum 68 (6), pp. 269-312 : 271-277

publication ID

https://doi.org/ 10.3853/j.2201-4349.68.2016.1662

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03F087CD-AF09-5B06-FC71-FBE4FC95FB53

treatment provided by

Felipe

scientific name

Anisolepisma Paclt, 1967
status

 

Anisolepisma Paclt, 1967

Heterolepisma Escherich, 1905: 51 View in CoL pro parte.

Anisolepisma Paclt, 1967: 27 . Type species: Heterolepisma hartmeyeri Silvestri, 1908 (original designation; grammatically neuter).

Diagnosis. Macrochaetae smooth. Cephalic chaetotaxy with well-developed anterior bushes on frons and U-shaped row behind the antennae, clypeus proximally with 1+1 short combs as well as a transverse row of setae, labrum with simple setae. Pedicel long with dark scales; distal intervals of antennae with basiconic sensillae and trichobothria. Ultimate article of labial palp with four papillae of the aufgelöst type arranged in a diamond configuration. Pronotum with 1+1 isolated sub-anterior setal tufts, lateral margins with four to six submarginal macrochaetae and four or five long trichobothria or trichobothria-like hairs (see final discussion), posterior margin glabrous. Meso- and metanota also with three to seven submarginal macrochaetae and three or four long trichobothria-like hairs, posterior margins with 1+1 macrochaetae or 1+1 trichobothria-like setae. Thoracic sternites reduced, not free and largely covered by coxae of legs. Pretarsus complete, empodium smooth. Urotergite I with 2+2 small combs, urotergites II– VII with 3+3 small combs, urotergite VIII with 3+3 or 2+2 small combs, urotergite IX glabrous or with infralateral setae. Urotergite X rounded with small 1+1 apical combs. Urosternite I with small medial comb, urosternite II with 1+1 or 1+1+1 small combs, urosternites III – VIII with 2+2 or 2+1+2 small combs. Styli present in one pair in both sexes. Ovipositor short, with fine setae only. Parameres long and thin, not segmented, lacking obvious glandular region .

Description

Photographs of three species and SEM’s of Anisolepisma aquilonaridum n. sp. from Bladensburg are used to illustrate the description of the genus but they are not of the type species.

Appearance and body size: Small to medium sized silverfish (7–11 mm), elongate, not strongly tapered. Generally with evenly dark or mottled scales above and light lateral margins to the nota ( Figs 2–5 View Figures 2–5 ). Dark scales on pedicel often conspicuous on live specimens. Antennae and terminal filaments shorter than H+B.

Pigmentation: Present, faint to quite dark.

Macrochaetae: Smooth not pectinate, with bifurcated apices ( Fig. 6 View Figures 6–7 ), hyaline or yellow-brown.

Scales: Multiradiate and of variable shape, the rays not or only slightly surpassing the distal margin of the scale ( Fig. 7 View Figures 6–7 ), located on frons and clypeus, often all articles of the mouthparts, the body, most articles of the legs, the styli, as well as the scape and pedicel of the antennae. Absent from the terminal filaments.

Head: Exposed, eyes small, dark composed of about 12 or 13 ommatidia; head chaetotaxy ( Figs 8, 9 View Figures 8–9 ) consisting of 1+1 large subrectangular bushes of about 40–80 evenly spaced macrochaetae located anteriorly on distinct rounded bulges of the frons above the suture with the clypeus, lacking macrochaetae along lateral margins above antennae, posterior to each antenna is a roughly U-shaped line of macrochaetae with the base of the U along the margin of the frons and a short line sub-perpendicular to the margin on each side of the head just behind the base of the antenna ending with a very long thin trichobothria-like seta, the other longer arm of the U extends above the eye; clypeus with line of simple setae well behind the anterior margin and 1+1 short combs of one to five macrochaetae just below the suture with the frons, with a transverse band of scales between the line of setae and the short combs, extending up between the 1+1 combs of macrochaetae onto the frons; labrum with numerous long, simple setae in two transverse bands ( Fig. 9 View Figures 8–9 ). —Pedicel comparatively long relative to scape in both sexes (⅔–1) ( Fig. 9 View Figures 8–9 ). Most distal preserved antennal annuli without specialized sensillae, but with several basiconic sensillae (types B & C) ( Figs 10, 11 View Figures 10–11 ). —Mandibles with strong incisor region, molar region different on either side of head with one mandible having a distinct comb along the full length of the molar area and the other having no comb, or at most only a few “lamellae” and usually also, at the posterior end of the molar region, a short laterally directed triangular process (possibly composed of “lamellae” fused together), as well as a group of several short, apically bifurcate macrochaetae at the posterior end of the molar region and a strong bush of macrochaetae on the outer side of the mandible. —Maxillae with galea longer than lacinia, lacinia with two strong apical teeth and a similar subapical tooth, several lamellate processes including two rounded or truncated lamellae at the level of the apical teeth, and a row of several simple setae; apical article of maxillary palp usually with a curved basiconic sensilla (type C) (not always visible depending on the orientation of the palp) and often some basiconic sensillae (type B) ( Fig. 12 View Figures 12–13 ). —Labium short and broad, prementum with rows of stout setae at the base of the glossae and paraglossae, postmentum with a short medial row of about three to seven stout setae (or more likely two shorter rows each of one to four setae that almost join in the middle) and one to two lateral setae on each side near the margins; labial palp short, apical article subrectangular to subovate, longer than wide, with four papillae of the “aufgelöst” type arranged in a diamond configuration in the centre of the article rather than apically, with one or two short curved basiconic sensillae (type C), one on outer margin at level of diamond the other proximal to the diamond and remote from the margin, without other specialized sensillae ( Fig. 13 View Figures 12–13 ).

Thorax: Pronotum ( Fig. 14 View Figures 14–15 ) lacking setal collar, with 1+1 small isolated tufts of strong erect macrochaetae radiating from anterior patches that are surrounded by scales and remote from the anterior margin near or mediad to the sides of the head; each side with three to six large submarginal suberect macrochaetae and similar subposterior-directed macrochaetae in the posterolateral corners on the margins, as well as many short thick setae, margins also with four or five medium length to extremely long trichobothria or pronotal isolated anterior tuft (pb); (9) head, and base of antennae, anterior view.

trichobothria-like setae ( Figs 14–16 View Figures 14–15 View Figures 16–17 ). Posterior margin glabrous. —Meso ( Fig. 17 View Figures 16–17 ) and metanota with four to six strong submarginal macrochaetae and shorter stout setae spaced along margins plus three or four trichobothria (or trichobothria-like hairs), the most anterior about half way along the margin laterad and slightly forward of a large submarginal macrochaetae, the second about ¾ way along the margin, laterad of the next submarginal macrochaeta, the third insertion resembles that of a submarginal macrochaeta and may contain either a long trichobothria-like seta or a macrochaetae, the last (tr 0) is further from the margin and slightly more posterior. Posterior margins with 1+1 single long thin macrochaetae or single long trichobothria-like setae.

Prothorax with very well-developed presternum ( Figs 18 View Figure 18 , 19 View Figure 19 ). Thoracic sterna not free and largely covered by the coxae. Prothoracic sternum distinctly visible as a raised triangular area anteriorly between the coxae of PI with a central tuft of radiating, erect, apically bifurcate macrochaetae; meso- and metathoracic sterna with raised region medially with the anterior lateral edges of this raised region extended slightly outwards resulting in a flat cordiform surface which permits the coxae insert a little under the edges; lateral margins of raised cordiform region with rows of simple and (at posterior end) apically-bifurcate macrochaetae in distal two thirds, these raised regions are largely concealed by the coxae of the legs of the preceding segment.

Legs stout with strong macrochaetae on femora and tibia ( Fig. 18 View Figure 18 ); PI with some setae on the precoxa. —Coxa of PI with a comb of macrochaetae near external “shoulder” and sometimes with one or two shorter combs of setae distal to this “shoulder” comb, all coxae with a single marginal row of strong macrochaetae along most of or parallel to the external lateral margins, all coxae with a comb of two setae on or near the inner margin about ½–¾ distally. —Trochanter with narrow portion articulating with coxa with abrupt change in width along the inner margin (this abrupt change often appears to lead to a buckling of the outer margin in slide mounted specimens giving the appearance of a pseudosegmented trochanter). —Femur with distal group of strong spines as well as several strong and long spines along the posterior margin. Tibia with two pairs of strong spines dorsally and several spines on or near the ventral margin; tibial spur with setae. —Tarsus four-segmented although segmentation may not be distinct, stronger setae ventrally and distally on each article except last. —Pretarsus of two simple lateral claws and a smooth medial empodial claw ( Fig. 20 View Figures 20–21 ).

Abdomen: Posterior margins of urotergite I with 2+2 small combs (lateral and submedial, lacking sublateral). Urotergites II–VII with 3+3 small combs. Urotergite VIII with 3+3 or 2+2 small combs (lacking sublateral). Urotergite IX glabrous or with infralateral setae on each side. — Urotergite X rounded with marginal setae and small 1+1 combs submarginally in posterolateral corners.

Urosternite I with small medial comb ( Fig. 20 View Figures 20–21 ). Urosternite II with 1+1 or 1+1+1 small combs. Urosternites III – VII ( VIII in ♂) with 2+2 or 2+1+2 small combs. Urosternite VIII in female divided into separate coxites each with two combs. Styli ( Fig. 21 View Figures 20–21 ) only present in one pair in both sexes ( IX only) with several long strong setae ventrally along their length similar to two larger setae at apex and a long macrochaeta on face of coxite IX internal to each stylus .

Ovipositor ( Fig. 22 View Figure 22 ) of primary type (without modified setae or cuticular processes), thin and tapered or expanded distally, pseudoarticulated but difficult to discern, with short to very long and always very thin setae. Coxites IX of ♀ with longer but not very long inner processes; coxites IX of ♂ with long thin setae on inner (dorsal) face. —Penis typical for family. —Parameres almost as long as the inner process, with long thin setae on inner and mediad surfaces but often also with stronger setae subapically on the outer ventral surface, lacking obvious glandular region.

Anal region with well sclerotized epiproct and paraprocts. Cerci and median dorsal appendage with a few shorter basal divisions which become significantly longer from about the fifth division with increasing numbers of transverse rows of setae, those at the most distal end of each division much more robust than the rest, divisions with numerous short and long straight trichobothria (or trichobothrial-like setae) as well as long thin hairs with distinctly curled/hooked ends.

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Arthropoda

Class

Insecta

Order

Zygentoma

Family

Lepismatidae

Loc

Anisolepisma Paclt, 1967

Smith, Graeme B. 2016
2016
Loc

Anisolepisma

Paclt, J 1967: 27
1967
Loc

Heterolepisma

Escherich, K 1905: 51
1905
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