Lepismatidae is a family of primitive wingless insects with about 340 described species. This family contains the two most familiar members of the order Zygentoma: the silverfish (Lepisma saccharinum) and the firebrat (Thermobia domestica). It is one of five families in the order Zygentoma.
Lepismatids are elongated, flattened insects, the majority of which are scavengers. The abdomen is usually clothed in tiny scales and terminates with three "tails" of roughly equal length. The compound eyes are small and well separated.
They typically live in warm, damp environments, including indoors. They avoid light.
Genera These subfamilies and genera belong to the family Lepismatidae:
Acrotelsinae Mendes, 1991 Acrotelsa Escherich, 1905 Anisolepisma Paclt, 1967 Desertinoma Kaplin, 1992 Lepismina Gervais, 1844 Paracrotelsa Paclt, 1967 Primacrotelsa Mendes, 2004 Ctenolepismatinae Mendes, 1991 Acrotelsella Silvestri, 1935 Asiolepisma Kaplin, 1989 Caribesella Molero-Baltanás, Gaju-Ricart, & Smith, 2024 Ctenolepisma Escherich, 1905 Gopsilepisma Irish, 1990 Hyperlepisma Silvestri, 1932 Leucolepisma Wall, 1954 Monachina Silvestri, 1908 Mormisma Silvestri, 1938 Namibmormisma Irish, 1989 Nebkhalepisma Irish, 1989 Ornatilepisma Irish, 1989 Psammolepisma Irish, 1989 Sabulepisma Irish, 1989 Sceletolepisma Wygodzinsky, 1955 Stylifera Stach, 1932 Swalepisma Irish, 1989 Thermobia Bergroth, 1890 Heterolepismatinae Mendes, 1991 Heterolepisma Escherich, 1905 Maritisma Smith & Mitchell, 2019 Visma Smith, Mitchell, & Molero-Batanás, 2021 Lepismatinae Latreille, 1802 Afrolepisma Mendes, 1981 Allacrotelsa Silvestri, 1935 Anallacrotelsa Mendes, 1996 Lepisma Linnaeus, 1758 Lepitrochisma Mendes, 1988 Neoasterolepisma Mendes, 1988 Tricholepisma Paclt, 1967 Xenolepisma Mendes, 1981 Mirolepismatinae Mendes, 1901 Mirolepisma Silvestri, 1938 Prolepismina Silvestri, 1940 Silvestrellinae Mendes, 1991 Hemikulina Mendes, 2008 Hemilepisma Paclt, 1967 Namunukulina Wygodzinsky, 1957 Silvestrella Escherich, 1905 incertae sedis Apteryskenoma Paclt, 1952 Panlepisma Silvestri, 1940
There are several genera known only from fossils: † Burmalepisma Mendes & Poinar, 2008 Burmese amber, Myanmar, Cenomanian † Cretalepisma Mendes & Wunderlich, 2013 Burmese amber, Myanmar, Cenomanian † Onycholepisma Pierce, 1951 † Protolepisma Mendes & Poinar, 2013 Dominican amber, Miocene
Parasites Member of the Strepsiptera family Mengenillinidae exclusively parasitise members of Lepismatidae. Host-species relationships include: Eoxenos laboulbenei on Tricholepisma aureum, Neoasterolepisma wasmanni and N. palmonii; Mengenilla parvula on Sceletolepisma michaelseni; Mengenilla nigritula on Ctenolepisma ciliatum and Ctenolepisma sp.; Mengenilla laevigata, M. quasita, M. spinulosa and M. subnigrescens on C. lineatum; and an unidentified species of Strepsiptera on Mormisma peyerimhoffi.
Parasitic Apicomplexa are often found in the intestinal tract, especially the crop, of Lepismatidae. Ctenolepisma lineatum contains on average 15 parasite specimens per animal. Several species of gregarine parasites have been recorded from the intestinal tract of the gray silverfish: Lepismatidae species gregarine parasites Acrotelsa collaris Colepismatophila watsonae, Garnhamia aciculata, Lepismatophila thermobiae Ctenolepisma calvum Colepismatophila burti, Garnhamia aciculata, Lepismatophila orientalis Ctenolepisma lineatum Lepismatophila parva, Lepismatophila ctenolepismae Ctenolepisma longicaudatum Garnhamia aciculata, Lepismatophila ctenolepismae Ctenolepisma nigrum Colepismatophila buckleyi, Lepismatophila orientalis Ctenolepisma sp. Garnhamia aciculata, Lepismatophila cornwalli Lepisma saccharinum Gregarina lagenoides, Lepismatophila thermobiae, unidentified Colepismatophila species and Gregarinidae species Thermobia domestica Colepismatophila watsonae, Lepismatophila thermobiae and an unidentified Gregarinidae species
References
McGavin, George C. Insects and Spiders 2004 Fauna Europaea Nomina Insecta Nearctica