Zygentoma
Guides
Chrysops cincticornis
Ring-clawed Deer Fly
Chrysops cincticornis is a deer fly in the family Tabanidae, first described by Walker in 1848. It is commonly known as the Ring-clawed Deer Fly. The species has been documented in Vermont and other parts of the United States, with 291 observations recorded on iNaturalist. Research on this species has focused on its oviposition behavior and fecundity, with laboratory studies showing females deposit eggs in gelatinous masses on mud substrates near water, averaging 156 eggs per female.
deer-flyTabanidaeDipteramedical-entomologyovipositionfecundityring-clawed-deer-flyVermontUnited-Statesmud-substrategelatinous-egg-massChrysopsinaeChrysopsiniWalker-1848iNaturalistlaboratory-rearingegg-mass156-eggsrange-42-312near-watermud-like-substrateegg-depositionreproductionbehavioral-studymedical-entomology-researchinsect-vectorsbiting-fliestabanid-flieshorse-fliesdeer-fliesChrysopsNorth-AmericaNew-Englandobservation-recordssynonym-status-in-Catalogue-of-Lifeaccepted-status-in-GBIFarthropodinsectflyBrachyceraTabanomorphaHexapodaPterygotaAnimaliaArthropodaInsectacincticornisChrysops-cincticornis-Walker-1848Chrysops-(Chrysops)-cincticornisdeerflyhorseflytabanidbiting-flyvectoroviposition-behaviorfecundity-studyJournal-of-Medical-Entomology198210.1093/jmedent/19.5.597gelatinous-secretionmudwaterlaboratory-conditionsmean-fecundityegg-productionreproductive-biologyentomologyinsect-behaviorinsect-reproductiondipterantrue-flytwo-winged-flynematoceranCyclorrhaphaAschizaSchizophoraAcalyptrataeCalyptrataeOestroideaMuscoideaHippoboscoideaGlossinidaeCalliphoridaeSarcophagidaeMuscidaeFanniidaeAnthomyiidaeScathophagidaeOestridaeTachinidaeSiphonapteraPhthirapteraHemipteraColeopteraLepidopteraHymenopteraNeuropteraMegalopteraRaphidiopteraTrichopteraStrepsipteraMecopteraDipluraProturaCollembolaZygentomaArchaeognathaEphemeropteraOdonataPlecopteraGrylloblattodeaMantophasmatodeaPhasmatodeaOrthopteraDermapteraEmbiopteraZorapteraIsopteraBlattodeaMantodeaPhyllodocidaNotopteraWalker1848speciestaxongelatinoushabitatdistributionGBIFCatalogue-of-LifeNCBIlaboratory-studybehaviorlife-cyclesubstratemud-likemeanrange42-312femaleobservationrecordspecimencollectionmuseumresearchstudyarticleabstractDOIbiologyecologyhorse-flyacceptedsynonymtaxonomyclassificationUS291-observationslaboratory291-iNaturalist-observationsGBIF-distribution-recordsaccepted-species-statussynonym-in-Catalogue-of-Life156-eggs-mean-fecundityrange-42-312-eggs1982-Journal-of-Medical-Entomology-publicationDOI-10.1093/jmedent/19.5.597entomology-researchdipteran-biologyLepismatidae
Typical Silverfishes
Lepismatidae is a family of primitive, wingless insects in the order Zygentoma, containing approximately 190-340 described species worldwide. The family includes the two most familiar domestic species: the silverfish (Lepisma saccharina) and the firebrat (Thermobia domestica). These ancient insects represent some of the earliest diverging lineages within Insecta, with origins dating back hundreds of millions of years. Members are characterized by elongated, flattened bodies covered in scales, three caudal filaments, and a complete absence of wings throughout their life cycle.
Nicoletiidae
Nicoletiidae is a family of primitive wingless insects in the order Zygentoma. Members are predominantly subterranean, inhabiting soil, caves, and mesovoid shallow substratum (MSS) environments. Many species exhibit troglobiotic adaptations including lack of eyes and pigmentation. The family contains at least four subfamilies (Atelurinae, Nicoletiinae, Cubacubaninae, Coletiniinae, Subnicoletiinae) with over 100 described genera. Some species are commensals in social insect nests, such as Allotrichotriura saevissima in fire ant nests.
Petrobius brevistylus
Petrobius brevistylus is a species of bristletail in the family Machilidae, order Zygentoma. The species is represented by a silhouette illustration credited to Birgit Lang on PhyloPic.org, where it has been used in scientific figures to exemplify Apterygota. The specific epithet 'brevistylus' refers to short styli, a morphological feature of the genus. As a member of Zygentoma, this species belongs to one of the most basal lineages of wingless insects, representing an ancient evolutionary grade that predates the evolution of wings in insects.
Stylifera
Stylifera is a genus of silverfish (order Zygentoma) in the family Lepismatidae, established by Stach in 1932. The genus contains at least two described species: Stylifera gigantea and Stylifera impudica, both described by Escherich in 1905. Silverfish in this family are wingless, primitive insects characterized by their elongated, flattened bodies and three terminal cerci. Members of the genus are rarely encountered in scientific literature, with most biological details remaining undocumented.
Texoreddellia
Texoreddellia is a monotypic genus of nicoletiid silverfish described by Wygodzinsky in 1973. The genus contains a single described species, Texoreddellia texensis. As a member of Nicoletiidae, it belongs to a family of small, eyeless, wingless insects adapted to subterranean or cryptic habitats. The genus is known from limited observations and specimens.
Thermobia
Thermobia is a genus of primitive insects in the family Lepismatidae, order Zygentoma. The genus name derives from Greek roots meaning 'warmth' and 'life,' reflecting its members' thermophilic nature. The best-known species, Thermobia domestica (firebrat), is a common synanthropic pest of heated indoor environments worldwide. The genus was originally described as Termophila by Grassi in 1887, emended to Thermophila in 1889, and renamed to Thermobia by Bergroth in 1890.