| Apterygida media | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Dermaptera |
| Family: | Forficulidae |
| Genus: | Apterygida |
| Species: | A. media |
| Binomial name | |
| Apterygida media (Hagenbach, 1822) | |
| Synonyms [1] | |
| |
Apterygida media is a species of European earwig, known as the short-winged earwig or hop-garden earwig. [2]
The distribution of A. media ranges from southern Sweden in the north to Greece in the south, and from Portugal in the west to Ukraine in the east. [3] It is one of only four native species of earwig in the United Kingdom, although three further species have been introduced. [4] In the United Kingdom, it is only found in the south-east, which has the most continental climate. It is widespread in East Kent, and is also found in Essex and Suffolk. [2] It may have arrived in Great Britain via a land bridge over the North Sea known as Doggerland. [2]
Apterygida media was first described by Jacob Johann Hagenbach under the name Forficula media. His description appeared in the 1822 work Insectorum Helvetiae.
Apterygida media has short wings and elytra. It is redidsh-brown in colour, with yellow legs. [2]
Apterygida media is thought to have been a common insect in the hop gardens of Kent until the introduction of pesticides. [2] It is now found chiefly in warm hedges and woodland edges, particularly on field maples ( Acer campestre ). [2]
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.
Forficula auricularia, the common earwig or European earwig, is an omnivorous insect in the family Forficulidae. The European earwig survives in a variety of environments and is a common household insect in North America. The name earwig comes from the appearance of the hindwings, which are unique and distinctive among insects, and resemble a human ear when unfolded; the species name of the common earwig, auricularia, is a specific reference to this feature. They are considered a household pest because of their tendency to invade crevices in homes and consume pantry foods, and may act either as a pest or as a beneficial species depending on the circumstances.
The Saint Helena earwig or Saint Helena giant earwig is an extinct species of very large earwig endemic to the oceanic island of Saint Helena in the south Atlantic Ocean.
Forficulidae is a family of earwigs in the order Dermaptera. There are more than 70 genera and 490 described species in Forficulidae.
Hemimeridae is a family of earwigs in the suborder Neodermaptera. Hemimeridae was formerly considered a suborder, Hemimerina, but was reduced in rank to family and included in the new suborder Neodermaptera.
Archidermapteron martynovi is an extinct species of earwig, in the genus Archidermapteron, family Protodiplatyidae, the suborder Archidermaptera, the order Dermaptera, and is the only species in the genus Archidermapteron, which simply means "ancient member of the Dermaptera". It had long, segmented cerci unlike modern species of Dermaptera, but tegmina and hind wings that folded up into a "wing package" that are like modern earwigs. The only clear fossil of the species was found in Russia.
Asiodiplatys is a monotypic genus containing the single species Asiodiplatys speciousus, an extinct species of earwig in the family Protodiplatyidae. It had long and thin cerci that were very different from modern species of Dermaptera, but tegmina and hind wings that folded up into a "wing package" that are like modern earwigs. Like Archidermapteron martynovi, the only clear fossil of the species was found in Russia.
Chelisochidae is a family of earwigs whose members are commonly known as black earwigs. The family contains a total of approximately 96 species, spread across sixteen genera in three subfamilies.
Labiduridae, whose members are known commonly as striped earwigs, is a relatively large family of earwigs in the suborder Forficulina.
The ringlegged earwig is a species of earwig in the family Anisolabididae.
Labia minor, the lesser earwig or small earwig, is a species of earwig. It is widespread globally in temperate climates, preferring warm locations such as compost heaps in parts of its range. It is 4–7 mm long, including the pincer, and chocolate brown in color.
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.
Labidura is a genus of earwigs in the family Labiduridae. Probably the earliest specimen of Labidura was found in Eocene amber. Among the Labidura species, Labidura riparia is cosmopolitan, but the Saint Helena earwig was the largest of all earwigs before its possible extinction after the year of 1967.
Anechura bipunctata is a species of earwig in the family Forficulidae.
Neodermaptera, sometimes called Catadermaptera, is a suborder of earwigs in the order Dermaptera. There are more than 2,000 described species in Neodermaptera.
Dermapteridae is an extinct family of earwigs known from the Late Triassic to Mid Cretaceous, it is part of the extinct suborder Archidermaptera, alongside Protodiplatyidae and Turanovia. It was first named as a subfamily by Vishniakova in 1980, and elevated to family status by Engel in 2003 without discussion.
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