Ectopsocidae

Ectopsocidae
Ectopsocus petersi
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Psocoptera
Suborder: Psocomorpha
Infraorder: Homilopsocidea
Family: Ectopsocidae
Genera
  • Belipsocus
  • Ectianoculus
  • Ectopsocopsis
  • Ectopsocus
  • Ectotrichus
  • Estipulaceus
  • Mascaropsocus

Ectopsocidae is a family of Psocoptera (book lice or bark lice) belonging to the suborder Psocomorpha. Members of the family are characterised by their absence of an areola postica in their wings, like in the family Peripsocidae. The family includes fewer than 200 species, most of them in the genus Ectopsocus.

Distribution

The family includes fewer than 200 species, most of them in the genus Ectopsocus distributed worldwide with highest diversity in Asia. In the genera Ectopsocus and Ectopsocopsis fourteen species are known from North America .

Description

Members of the family are characterised by their absence of an areola postica in their wings, like in the family Peripsocidae. These are brown, small-sized bark lice (1.5-2.5 mm, both nymphs and adults) with or without markings on wings.

Distinctive Features

The following are the distinctive features of these family members:

Habitat

Ectopsocids have been found to inhabit dead leaves on tree branches and leaf litter.

Sources

Wikispecies has information related to: Ectopsocidae


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