Earwigs make up the insect order Dermaptera. With about 2,000 species in 12 families, they are one of the smaller insect orders. Earwigs have characteristic cerci, a pair of forcep-like pincers on their abdomen, and membranous wings folded underneath short, rarely used forewings, hence the scientific order name, "skin wings". Some groups are tiny parasites on mammals and lack the typical pincers. Earwigs are found on all continents except Antarctica.
Pygidicranidae is a family of earwigs in the suborder Neodermaptera. The family currently contains twelve subfamilies and twenty six genera. Eight of the subfamilies are monotypic, each containing a single genus. Of the subfamilies, both Astreptolabidinae and Burmapygiinae are extinct and known solely from fossils found in Burmese amber. Similarly Archaeosoma, Gallinympha, and Geosoma, which have not been placed into any of the subfamilies, are also known only from fossils. Living members of the family are found in Australia, South Africa, North America, and Asia. The monotypic genus Anataelia, described by Ignacio Bolivar in 1899, is found only on the Canary Islands. As with all members of Neodermaptera, pygidicranids do not have any ocelli. The typical pygidicranid bodyplan includes a small, flattened-looking body, which has a dense covering of bristly hairs (setae). The pair of cerci at the end of the abdomen are symmetrical in structure. The head is broad, with the fourth, fifth and sixth antenna segments (antennomeres) that are not transverse. In general Pygidicranids also have equally sized ventral cervical sclerites, and in having the rearmost sclerite separated from, or only touching the center of the prosternum. Cannibalism of young has been observed in at least one species in the family, Challia hongkongensis, in which an adult female was found eating a still-living nymph of the same species. The same species in a different area has been observed possibly eating fruits or seeds, making the species an omnivore.
Diplatyidae is a family of earwigs in the suborder Neodermaptera. It contains three subfamilies, and four genera incertae sedis, one modern and three extinct known from fossils.
Labiduridae, whose members are known commonly as striped earwigs, is a relatively large family of earwigs in the suborder Neodermaptera.
The ringlegged earwig is a species of earwig in the family Anisolabididae.
Euborellia plebeja is a species of earwig in the family Anisolabididae. Like other members of the Anisolabididae family, this species has an elongated virga, a sclerotized tube that is part of the male genitalia.
Aborolabis mordax is a species of earwig in the genus Aborolabis, the family Anisolabididae, and the order Dermaptera. Found primarily in the Palearctic realm, this species was first classified by Henrik Steinmann in 1978.
Aborolabis angulifera is a species of earwig in the genus Aborolabis, the family Anisolabididae, and the order Dermaptera. Primarily found in the Afrotropical realm, this species was discovered by Dohrn in 1864.
Aborolabis emarginata is a species of earwig in the genus Aborolabis, the family Anisolabididae, and the order Dermaptera.
Aborolabis pervicina is a species of earwig in the genus Aborolabis, the family Anisolabididae, and the order Dermaptera. Found primarily in the Indomalayan realm, this species was first classified by Burr in 1913.
Aborolabis rufocapitata is a species of earwig in the genus Aborolabis, the family Anisolabididae, and the order Dermaptera.
Aborolabis vicina is a species of earwig in the genus Aborolabis, the family Anisolabididae, and the order Dermaptera. Found primarily in the Afrotropical realm, this species was first classified by Burr in 1911.
Anisolabella braueri is a species of earwig in the genus Anisolabella, the family Anisolabididae, and the order Dermaptera. Primarily found in the Afrotropical realm, this species was first classified by Zacher in 1911.
Anisolabis howarthi is a blind, troglobite species of earwig in the genus Anisolabis, the family Anisolabididae, and the order Dermaptera. The species is native to Hawaii, and was first classified by Brindle in 1979. According to a paper published by him in 1980 in the journal Pacific Insects, the species is first known true troglobite earwig; while there are other blind species that live underneath soil or humus, this is the first to actually inhabit a cave.
The Pacific earwig is a species of earwig in the genus Anisolabis, the family Anisolabididae and the order Dermaptera.
Astreptolabis is an extinct genus of earwig in the Dermaptera family Pygidicranidae known from a group of Cretaceous fossils found in Myanmar. The genus contains two described species, Astreptolabis ethirosomatia and Astreptolabis laevis and is the sole member of the subfamily Astreptolabidinae.
Tytthodiplatys is an extinct genus of earwig in the family Diplatyidae known from a Cretaceous fossil found in Myanmar. The genus contains a single described species, Tytthodiplatys mecynocercus.
Zigrasolabis is an extinct genus of earwig in the family Labiduridae known from Cretaceous fossils found in Myanmar. The genus contains a single described species, Zigrasolabis speciosa.
Toxolabis is an extinct genus of earwig in the dermapteran family Anisolabididae known from a Cretaceous fossil found in Burma. The genus contains a single described species, Toxolabis zigrasi.
Neodermaptera, sometimes called Catadermaptera, is a suborder of earwigs in the order Dermaptera. There are more than 2,000 described species in Neodermaptera.
