Thysanura: India
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Thysanura
Introduction
The Thysanura includes 'silver-fish' and 'bristle-tails', which are considerably larger insects than the other members belonging to Apterygota sub-class. The abdomen is composed of 10-11 segments. They bear on their ventral surface slender two segmented appendages known as styli. They have very long, many se~ented antennae, cerci and a median tail. Blind as well as eyed forms occur and most species are heavily clothed with scales which-give these insects a mottled black, brown, silvery or golden appearance. The members of the family Machilidae are capable of jumping by means of the apical ventral stylets. The free living forms are found in the forest floor, under bark of trees, under rocks" in the nests of ants and of termites. Few species (e.g. Lepisma saccharina and Ctenolepisma longicaudata) often cause damage to books, bakery house$ and o~er household articles.
Historical Resume
Like other apterygotes (except Collembola) this group is also least studied in India Escherich (1903) studied the Indian thysanuran fauna for the fust time. Thereafter Silvestri (1913, '38, '48), Janetschek (1964) and Wygodzinsky (1941, 1963, 19.12, 1974) have contributed to our knowledge on Indian species. More recently, Hazra (1980) described some Indian Thysanura.
Estimation of Taxa
The world fauna of Thysanura consists of 5 families, about 130 genera and over 1250 species. In comparison to this, the Indian representatives 'are few.. So far only 23 species belong,ing to 16 genera and 3 families are known from India These are Machilidae (4 genera; 5 spp), Nicoletidae (5 genera; 6 spp.) and Lepismatidae (7 genera, 12 spp.).
Classified Treatment
There are two suborders in this order. Under sub-order Microcoryphia, there is one superfamily Machiloid~ which consists two families Machilidae and Meinertellidae. The sub-order Zygentoma has one superfamily Lepismatoidea, under which there are three families Lepidotrichidae, Nicoletiidae and Lepismatidae.
Expertise India
In ZSI
A K. Hazra, Z.S.I., 'M' Block, New-Alipur, Calcutta -53.
Abroad
H. Janetschek, Institute of Zoology, tJniversity of Innsbruck, (Austria).
J. Stach, Polish Academy of Sciences, Institute of Systematic Zoology, Slawkowska 17, Krakow ( Poland).
Cameron Bach Piella, Institute of Biology, Barcelona, (Spain).
L. F. Mendes, Department of Zoology,l Bolseiro Do 1 Nle P12, (portugal).
Selected References
Esherich, K. 1905. Das system der Lepismatiden. Zoologica (Stuttgart), 18 (1-2) (Heft 43): 1-164, 67 figs. 4 pIs.
Hazra, A. K. 1980. On a new species of Stylifera (Lepismatidae: Thysanura) from India. Rec. Zool. Surv. India, 2 (1&2): 187-191.
Mendes, L. F. 1988. Revisao do genero Lepisura Linn., 1758 S. Lat. (Zygentoma, Lepisuratidae). Sociedade Portuguesh de entomologia, Sup. No.2: 1-236.
Paclt, J. 1967. Thysanura. Fam. Lepidotrichidae, Maindroniidae, Lepismatidae. In: Wystsmen, P., Genera Insectorum, fast 218 : 3-86.
Silvestri, F. 1938. Due novi generi deserticolidi Lepismatidae (Insecta: Thysanura). Boll. Lab. Ent. Agr. Portice, 1 :340-353. -
Womersley, H. 1939. Studies in Australian Thysanura. Trans. Proc. South Australia, 61 : 96¬ 101.
Wygodzinsky, P. 1955. In : Thysanura Hanstrom (B. P. Brink, and G.Rudebeck eds). South¬African animalllfe, Uppsala, 2 : 83-190, 559figs.
Wygodzinsky, P. 1970. Thysanura associated with termites in Southern Africa (Insecta). Bull, Amer. Mus. Nat. Hist., 142(3): 211-254, 26 figures.
Wygodzinsky, P. 1972. A review of the silverfish (Lepismatidae, Thysanura) of the United States and the Caribbean area. Amer. Mus. Novitates., 2481 : 1-26.
