Amphientometae

Definition

An infraorder of small, soft-bodied psocids (barklice and booklice) within the suborder Troctomorpha of the order Psocodea. Amphientometae comprises approximately seven families and at least 230 described species, characterized by morphological features that distinguish them from the other major troctomorphan lineage, the Nanopsocetae. Members are typically found in leaf litter, bark, and other moist microhabitats where they feed on organic detritus, algae, and fungal spores.

Etymology

Example

The family Amphientomidae, included in Amphientometae, contains species with reduced wing venation and specialized tarsal claws adapted for clinging to rough bark surfaces in tropical and subtropical forests.

Related Terms

• Troctomorpha
• Nanopsocetae
• Psocodea
• Psocoptera
• barklice
• booklice

Usage Notes

As an infraorder name, Amphientometae is treated as a plural collective noun and takes plural agreement in formal taxonomic usage (e.g., "Amphientometae are characterized by..."). The group represents one of two major divisions of the Troctomorpha, contrasting with Nanopsocetae, which includes the more familiar booklice of families Liposcelididae and Pachytroctidae. Taxonomic boundaries within Troctomorpha remain under revision, and some family-level placements in Amphientometae have shifted with molecular phylogenetic studies.