Lepidotrichidae
- Pronunciation
- /lep-ih-doh-TRIK-ih-dee/
- Category
- Taxonomy
- Singular
- Lepidotrichidae
Definition
A of basal hexapods in the order ( and allies), containing the extinct Lepidotrix known from Eocene Baltic amber. The family was long considered to also include the extant relict genus Tricholepidion (western North America), but phylogenetic studies now place Tricholepidion in its own family Tricholepidiidae, leaving Lepidotrichidae as a primarily fossil lineage.
Full guide
Read the full Lepidotrichidae guide for identification, examples, and taxonomy.
Etymology
From Greek lepis () + thrix (hair), referring to the distinctive scaled setae characteristic of these insects, combined with the suffix -idae.
Example
The Eocene amber deposits of Europe preserve Lepidotrix, the type of Lepidotrichidae, providing rare fossil evidence of early zygentoman diversity.
Related Terms
Usage Notes
Taxonomic composition remains unsettled; older literature treats Tricholepidion as a living member of this , while current consensus separates it into Tricholepidiidae. The family thus exemplifies the challenge of integrating relict extant lineages with fossil in phylogenetic classification. Distinguished from Lepidotrichidae (a family of in the order ) by spelling and higher classification—context and source must be checked to avoid confusion.