Chelisochidae is a family of earwigsSee first entry in external links section for reference. whose members are commonly known as black earwigs. The family contains a total of approximately 96 species, spread across sixteen genera in three subfamilies.
They are primarily located in the more tropical Afrotropical, Australasian, and Oriental realms, even though some species, such as Chelisoches morio, are cosmopolitan. They are often dark in color, lending to their common name, and can vary in size. They can be easily identified due to a certain characteristic in their tarsi, involving a ventral projection on the second tarsal segment. Like most earwigs, they are omnivores, and their diet consists of the larvae of leaf-mining insects, as well as certain types of vegetation.
Genera The family contains the following genera:
Subfamily Chelisochinae Verhoeff, 1902 Adiathella Brindle, 1970 Adiathetus Burr, 1907 Chelisochella Verhoeff, 1902 Chelisoches Scudder, 1876 Euenkrates Rehn, 1927 Exypnus Burr, 1907 Gressitolabis Brindle, 1970 Hamaxas Burr, 1907 Lamprophorella Mjöberg, 1924 Proreus Burr, 1907 Schizochelisoches Steinmann, 1987 Schizoproreus Steinmann, 1987 Solenosoma Burr, 1907 Subfamily Genitalatinae Steinmann, 1987 Genitalata Kapoor, 1974 Subfamily Kinesinae Kinesis Burr, 1907
References
External links
The Earwig Research Centre's Chelisochidae database Source for references: type Chelisochidae in the "family" field and click "search". Australian Faunal Directory: Chelisochidae An image of the family.