z . G.. DAL GC Pictorial Handbook on Indian Thysanura A.K. HAZRA G.P. MANDAL Zoological Survey of India, M-Block, New Alipore, Kolkata 700 053 Edited by the Director, Zoological Survey of India, Kolkata Zoological Survey of India Kolkata CITATION Hazra, A.K. and MandaI, G.P. 2007. Pictorial Handbook on Indian Thysanura 1-43. (Published by the Director, Zool. Surv. India, Kolkata) Published : June, 2007 ISBN 978-81-8171-152-6 © Govt. of India, 2007 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED • No part of this publication may be reproduced stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior permission of the publisher. • This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade, be lent, resold, hired out or otherwise disposed of without the publisher's consent, in an form of binding or cover other than that in which, it is published. • The correct price of this publication is the price printed on this page. Any revised price indicated by a rubber stamp or by a sticker or by any other means is incorrect and should be unacceptable. PRICE Indian Rs. 250.00 Foreign : $ 25; £ 20 Published at the Publication Division by the Director Zoological Survey of India, 234/4, AJe Bose Road, 2nd MSO Building, 13th floor, Nizam Palace, Kolkata 700020 and printed at MIs Image, New Delhi 110 002. FOREWORD The order Thysanura comprises of popularly known insects of (Silverfish' and 'bristle tail' Thysanurans are small, soft bodied, fishlike, scaled, and wingless insects. They are considerably larger insects than the other members belonging to subclass Apterygota. They are easily distinguished by very long many segmented antennae and 2 anal cerci and single median telson projecting posterior from the terminal part of abdomen. They are blind as well as eyed and most species are heavily clothed with scales which give these insects a mottled black, brown, silvery or golden appearance. The free living forms are found in the forest floor, under bark of trees, under rocks, in the nests of ants and termites. I am sure that the present handbook will help the student, researchers, agricultural and soil scientist in the country, as no such publication so far available for the beginners to identify this little studied insect order. Dr. RAMAKRISHNA Director-in-Charge Zoological Survey of India CONTENTS INTRODUcrION ...................................................... ,.................................................. 1 RE'VI'EW OF LITERA.TURE ............................ t ••••••••••••••••••••••••••• I •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 2 GENERAL MORPHOLOGY OF THYSANURA ........................................................ 4 Body form ............................................................................ I '" II •••••••••• I •••••••••••••••••••••• 4 The body wall ..................................................... I •••••••••• I •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• I •••• I ••••••• i 4 Body segmentation .................. II I. I •••••••••••••• I ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 7 The head ..................................................................................................................... 8 The antennae ............................................................................................................. 8 Mouth parts ... '................................................................... ,.......................................... 8 The thorax .................................................................................................................. 9 The legs ............................................................ I ••••••••••••••••••• I I I I I •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 9 SYSTEMATIC LIST ...................................................................................................... 9 SYSTEMATI C ACCOUNT ......................................................................................... 11 Suborder MICROCORYPHIA ............................................................................... 11 Family MACHILIDAE ......................................................' ...................................... 11 1. Machilanus insensilis Wygodzinsky, 1974 ................................................................. 12 2. Machilanus Iapidicola Wygodzinsky, 1974 ............................................... ' ................ 14 3. Machilanus schmidi Wygodzinsky, 1974 ................................................................... 16 4. Machilanus hutchinsoni Silvestri, 1936 ...................................................................... 18 5. Graphitarsus surindicus Carmen Bach de Roca, 1981 ............................................... 19 6. Haslundichilis qadrii Wygodzinsky, 1952 ................................................................. 20 7. Himalayachilis murreensis Wygodzinsky, 1952 ......................................................... 21 Family MEINERTELLIDAE ........................................................................................ 23 8. Machilontus lawrence; Carmen Bach de Roca, 1981 ................................................. 23 vi Suborder ZYGENTOMA ........................................................................................ 24 Family LEPISMATIDAE ......................................................................................... 24 9. Acrotelsa collttris (Fabricius, 1793) ............................................................................. 24 10. Afrolepisma nigrina (Silvestri, 1913) ........................................................................ 25 11. Ctenolepisma longicaudata Escherich, 1905 ............................................................ 25 12. Ctenolepisma nigra (Oudemans, 1890) .................................................................... 27 13. Ctenolepisma ciliata (Dufour, 1831) ........................................................................ Z1 14. ~tenolepisma targionii (Grassi and Rovelli), 1889 ................................................... 28 15. Ctenolepisma tripurensis Hazra, 2000 ......................................... II .......................... 28 16. Ctenolepisma dubitalis Wygodzinsky, 1959 ............................................................ 30 17. Lepisma saccharina Linnaeus, 1758 ......................................................................... 31 18. Tricholepisma gravelyi (Silvestri, 1913) .................................................................... 31 19. Xenolepisma subnigrina (Silvestri, 1938) ................................................................. 32 21. Stylifera wygodzinskyi Hazra, 1980 ........................................................................... 33 20. Lepisma indica sp inq. Escherich, 1903 ................................................................... 33 22. Silvestrelfa termitophiltt Escherich, 1905 ................................................................. 35 Family NI CO LETIIDAE ......................................................................................... 36 23. Lepidospora ceylonica Silvestri, 1911 ...................................................................... 36 24. Lepidospora notabilis Silvestri, 1911 ....................................................................... 37 Family ATELURIDAE ............................................................................................. 38 25. Atelura typhloponis Silvestri, 1913 .......................................................................... 38 26. Thermobia domestica (Packard) 1873 ...................................................................... 39 SUMMARY .................................................................................................................. 40 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ......................................................................................... 40 REFEREN CES .............................................................................................................. 40 Dedicated in memory of Late Mihir Biswas a budding Thysanuran Taxonomist who has prematurely left us in the year 2000 INTRODUCTION The order Thysanura (Greek, thysanos = fringe) comprises of popularly known insects of 'Silverfish' and firebrats. Silverfish are primitive, wingless insects covered with silvery scales that rub from the insect's body very easily. Silverfish are nocturnal insects i. e. they feed and are active at night. The scales are the reason for the common name "silverfish" Silverfish are small and flattened. Compound eyes are either reduced or absent. If eyes are present they are formed of single elements. One, two or three simple eyes (ocelli) may be present. Mandibles are present but may be covered by a 'beard' of hairs. Three abdominal filaments are present. Two, equal length appendages (cerci) arise from the sides of the second last abdominal segment. A third (median caudal appendage) arises from the middle of the last abdominal segment. Thysanurans are small, soft bodied, fishlike, scaled, and wingless insects. They are considerably larger insects than the other members belonging to subclass Apterygota, they are easily distinguished by very long many segmented antennae and 2 anal cerci and single median telson projecting posterior from the terminal part of abdomen. They are blind as well as eyed and most species are heavily clothed with scales which give these insects a mottled black, brown, silvery or golden appearance. The free