The BioFiles - Bill Hubick

Four-lined Silverfish (Ctenolepisma lineatum)

Source: Wikipedia

Ctenolepisma lineatum
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Zygentoma
Family: Lepismatidae
Genus: Ctenolepisma
Species:
C. lineatum
Binomial name
Ctenolepisma lineatum
(Fabricius, 1775)
Synonyms
  • Lepisma lineata Fabricius, 1775
  • Lepisma vittata Fabricius, 1798
  • Lepisma subvittata Guérin, 1838
  • Lepisma annuliseta Lucas, 1840
  • Lepisma parisiensis Nicolet, 1847
  • Lepisma quadriseriata Packard, 1873
  • Lepisma reticulata Schött, 1897

Ctenolepisma lineatum is a species of insect of the order Zygentoma. It is similar to the closely related silverfish but can be distinguished by being rather stouter and less shiny with all appendages (antennae and 3 "tails") noticeably longer. The abdomen is often marked with dark brown lines and the species is sometimes called four-lined silverfish.

This species is native to southern Europe but is now found throughout most of the world, aside from polar and cooler temperate regions (e.g. the British Isles), as an accidental introduction. It is found both indoors and outdoors and can be a nuisance pest.

Recent studies on this species in Europe suggest that there is enough geographical variation to justify splitting into several species, with one form already having been given specific status as Ctenolepisma almeriense from south-eastern Spain.[1]

Lepisma pilifera Lucas, 1840, which was considered a synonym of C. lineatum, is now treated as a synonym of Thermobia aegyptiaca (Lucas, 1840).[2]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Molero-Baltanás, Rafael; Gaju-Ricart, Miguel; Bach de Roca, Carmen (2005). "Ctenolepisma almeriensis n. sp. of Lepismatidae (Insecta, Zygentoma) from south-eastern Spain" (PDF). Animal Biodiversity and Conservation. 28 (1): 91–99.
  2. ^ Molero Baltanás, Rafael; Gaju Ricart, Miguel; Bach de Roca, Carmen (2012). "New data for a revision of the genus Ctenolepisma (Zygentoma: Lepismatidae): redescription of Ctenolepisma lineata and new status for Ctenolepisma nicoletii". Annales de la Société entomologique de France. Nouvelle série. 48 (1–2): 66–80. doi:10.1080/00379271.2012.10697753.