Sri Lanka is a tropical island situated close to the southern tip of India. The invertebrate fauna is as large as it is common to other regions of the world. There are about 2 million and counting species of arthropods found in the world. Due to this, it is very difficult to summarize the exact number of species found within a certain region.
The following list is about some minor insect orders recorded in Sri Lanka.
Jumping bristletails Phylum: Arthropoda Class: Insecta Order: Archaeognatha
Archaeognatha, are an insect order of the subclass Apterygota, which means they are insects without wings at any stage of the lifecycle. In the evolution of insects, Archaeognatha are the most primitive insects currently exists in the world. They have elongated bodies and arched backs. They have three long caudal filaments, where two lateral filaments are known as cerci, and the medial one is an epiproct. 350 species of Jumping bristletails belong to two families have been identified. Two species are known from Sri Lanka.
Family: Machilidae Graphitarsus phillipsi Graphitarsus schmidi
Silverfish Phylum: Arthropoda Class: Insecta Order: Zygentoma
Zygentoma is an insect order of the subclass Apterygota. The order includes silverfish, fishmoths, and the firebrats. All Zygentoma species have three long caudal filaments, where two lateral filaments are known as cerci, and the medial one is an epiproct or appendix dorsalis. There are five families in the order. 3 species are known from Sri Lanka.
Family: Ateluridae Assmuthia escherichii
Family: Lepismatidae Ctenolepisma calva Namunukulina funambuli
Webspinners Phylum: Arthropoda Class: Insecta Order: Embioptera
The order Embioptera, commonly known as webspinners, are a small group of mostly tropical and subtropical insects, classified under the subclass Pterygota. The order has also been referred to as Embiodea or Embiidina. The name Embioptera ("lively wings") comes from Greek, εμβιος, embios meaning "lively" and πτερον, pteron meaning "wing", a name that has not been considered to be particularly descriptive for this group of fliers, perhaps instead referring to their remarkable speed of movement both forward and backward.
Over 360 embiopteran species have been described, along with estimates of around 2000 species being in existence today. There is some debate as to the exact phylogenetic classification of Embioptera, with the order having been classed as a sister group to both orders Zoraptera, and Phasmatodea,
The following list provide the lacewings currently identified in Sri Lanka. Only four species found from this order within the country.
Endemic species are denoted as E.
Family: Oligotomidae Aposthonia ceylonica Aposthonia minuscula Oligotoma humbertiana Oligotoma saundersii
Booklice Phylum: Arthropoda Class: Insecta Order: Psocoptera
Psocoptera are an order of insects that are commonly known as booklice, barklice or barkflies. They first appeared in the Permian period, 295–248 million years ago. They are often regarded as the most primitive of the hemipteroids. Their name originates from the Greek word ψῶχος, psokos meaning gnawed or rubbed and πτερά, ptera meaning wings. There are more than 5,500 species in 41 families in three suborders. Many of these species have only been described in recent years.
The Order Psocoptera is divided into three suborders. According to checklists by Smithers in 1967 and New in 1977, there are 67 accepted species of booklice found from Sri Lanka. The checklist of New was advanced with the full description of two subfamilies Epipsocidae and Pseudocaeciliidae, from Sri Lanka.
Family: Amphientomidae - tropical barklice
Paramphientomum nietneri Seopsis metallops Seopsis superba Seopsis vasantasena Syllysis caudata Syllysis erato Syllysis ritusamhara Tineomorpha greeniana
Family: Amphipsocidae - hairy-winged barklice Taeniostigma elongatum
Family: Archipsocidae - ancient barklice Archipsocopsis biguttata Archipsocopsis fernandi
Family: Caeciliusidae - lizard barklice
Caecilius sp. Coryphosmila dolabrata Dypsocus coleoptratus Enderleinella ceylonica Isophanes palliatus Valenzuela aridus Valenzuela maculistigma
Family: Calopsocidae - common barklice Calopsocus infelix
Family: Ectopsocidae - outer barklice Ectopsocus aethiops Ectopsocus piger
Family: Elipsocidae - damp barklice Elipsocus boops Elipsocus impressus Nepiomorpha crucifera
Family: Epipsocidae - elliptical barklice Epipsocopsis delicata Epipsocopsis greeni Epipsocopsis hakgalensis Epipsocopsis peradenayensis Epipsocopsis taprobanensis
Family: Hemipsocidae - leaf litter barklice Hemipsocus chloroticus Hemipsocus roseus
Family: Lepidopsocidae - scaly-winged barklice
Echmepteryx mihira Echmepteryx sericea Lepium chrysochlorum Lepium luridum Lepolepis ceylonica Nepticulomima chalcomelas Nepticulomima essigkeana Nepticulomima jacobsoni Nepticulomima sakuntala Perientomum acutipenne Perientomum argentatum Perientomum ceylonicum Perientomum chrysargyrium Perientomum greeni Perientomum gregarium Perientomum morosum Perientomum trichopteryx Perientomum triste Proentomum personatum Soa flaviterminata Scolopama halterata Lepolepis ceylonica
Family: Liposcelididae - booklice Embidopsocus minor Embidopsocus oleaginus
Family: Myopsocidae - mouse-like barklice Myopsocus unduosus
Family: Peripsocidae - stout barklice Peripsocus milloti Peripsocus pauliani
Family: Philotarsidae - loving barklice Aaroniella maligawa Haplophallus orientalis
Family: Pseudocaeciliidae - false lizard barklice
Allopsocus medialis Heterocaecilius ornatus Mesocaecilius pictipennis Ophiodopelma hieroglyphicum Ophiodopelma multipunctatum Pseudocaecilius cribrarius Pseudocaecilius lanatus Pseudocaecilius molestus Pseudocaecilius ornatus Pseudocaecilius paraornatus Pseudocaecilius zonatus
Family: Psocidae - common barklice Atrichadenotecnum quinquepunctatum Blaste obtusa Copostigma trimaculatum Psocidus consitus Psocidus oblitus Psococerastis taprobanes Trichadenotecnum circulare
Family: Stenopsocidae - narrow barklice Stenopsocus apertus Stenopsocus uniformis
Thrips Phylum: Arthropoda Class: Insecta Order: Thysanoptera
Thrips (order Thysanoptera) are minute, slender insects with fringed wings (thus the scientific name. Other common names for thrips include thunderflies, thunderbugs, storm flies, thunderblights, storm bugs, corn flies and corn lice. Thrips species feed on a large variety of plants and animals by puncturing them and sucking up the contents. A large number of thrips species are considered pests, because they feed on plants with commercial value. Some species of thrips feed on other insects or mites and are considered beneficial, while some feed on fungal spores or pollen. Approximately 6,000 species have been described. Thrips are generally tiny (1 mm long or less) and are not good flyers , although they can be carried long distances by the wind. In the right conditions, like indoor grow rooms or greenhouses, many species can exponentially increase in population size and form large swarms because of a lack of natural predators, making them an irritation to humans.
The first comprehensive detailed work on Sri Lankan thrip fauna came through Schmutz in 1913. His checklist stood for more than 70 years with 43 new species. In 1997, Oda et al. rediscovered and updated the thrip diversity, but with small collections from Sri Lanka. The most recent work was done by Wijerathna, and he listed 16 species of thrips from 28 crops across the island. Currently, thrips documented within Sri Lanka included to 3 families - Aeolothripidae, Thripidae, and Phlaeothripidae, with 46 genera and 78 species.
Family: Aeolothripidae - predatory thrips Franklinothrips vespiformis
Family: Thripidae - common thrips
Anaphothrips sudanensis Bolacothrips striatopennatus Bregmatothrips brachycephalus Caliothrips graminicola Caliothrips indicus Copidothrips octarticulatus Dendrothrips sexmaculatus Helionothrips brunneipennis Heliothrips haemorrhoidalis Noathrips prakashi Panchaetothrips indicus Parthenothrips dracaenae Phibalothrips peringueyi Retithrips syriacus Rhipiphorothrips cruentatus Rhipiphorothrips pulchellus Selenothrips rubrocinctus Tryphactothrips rutherfordi Pseudodendrothrips ornatissimus Chaetanaphothrips signipennis Deuterobrachythrips lineatus Frankliniella occidentalis Frankliniella schultzei Megalurothrips distalis Megalurothrips typicus Megalurothrips usitatus Microcephalothrips abdominalis Neohydatothrips samayunkur Sciothrips cardamomi Scirtothrips dorsalis Stenchaetothrips biformis Thrips coloratus Thrips flavus Thrips jlorum Thrips hawaiiensis Thrips longalatus Thrips palmi Thrips simplex Thrips tabaci
Family: Phlaeothripidae - tube-tailed thrips
Aleurodothrips fasciapennis Androthrips flavipes Bactrothrips idolomorphus Chromatothrips annulicornis Chromatothrips fasciatus Chromatothrips plantaginis Diaphorothrips unguipes Dinothrips spinosus Dinothrips sumatrensi Ecacanthothrips tibialis Elaphrothrips denticollis Elaphrothrips greeni Elaphrothrips malayensis Elaphrothrips procer Ethirothrips angusticornis Ethirothrips indicus Ethirothrips obscurus Ethirothrips stenomelas Ethirothrips watsoni Eumorphothrips albicornis Gigantothrips schenklingi Gigantothrips tibialis Haplothrips ceylonicus Haplothrips ganglbaueri Haplothrips gowdeyi Haplothrips terminalis Liothrips floridensis Liothrips karnyi Liothrips mirabilis Liothrips tropicus Liothrips vaneeckei Ischyrothrips crassus Mecynothrips simplex Neosomerinthothrips affinis Neosomerinthothrips fructuum Teuchothrips brevis Teuchothrips longus Trichinothrips breviceps
Fleas Phylum: Arthropoda Class: Insecta Order: Siphonaptera
Fleas are insects that form the order Siphonaptera. They are wingless, with mouthparts adapted for piercing skin and sucking blood. Fleas are external parasites, living by hematophagy off the blood of mammals and birds. Over 2,000 species have been described worldwide.Fleas: What They Are, What To Do D. L. Richman and P. G. Koehler, University of Florida IFAS Extension. Accessed 10 December 2010
The following list provide the fleas found in Sri Lanka. The first checklist of fleas in Sri Lanka was done by Iyengar in 1973. 20 species are recognized, more taxonomic study is required. The fleas studies were almost confined to parasitic sections, where W. W. A. Phillips documented 11 species of fleas in 1980.
Family: Ceratophyllidae Macrostylophora phillipsi Nosopsyllus ceylonensis Nosopsyllus tamilanus
Family: Ischnopsyllidae - bat fleas Araeopsylla gestroi Ischnopsyllus indicus Thaumapsylla breviceps - ssp. orientalis
Family: Pulicidae - cat fleas Ctenocephalides canis Ctenocephalides felis Pulex irritans Xenopsylla cheopis
Family: Stivaliidae Lentistivalius ferinus Stivalius aporus Stivalius phoberus
Caddisflies Phylum: Arthropoda Class: Insecta Order: Trichoptera
The caddisflies are an order, Trichoptera, of insects with approximately 7,000 described species. Also called sedge-flies or rail-flies, they are small moth-like insects having two pairs of hairy membranous wings. They are closely related to Lepidoptera (moths and butterflies) which have scales on their wings, and the two orders together form the superorder Amphiesmenoptera. Caddisflies have aquatic larvae and are found in a wide variety of habitats such as streams, rivers, lakes, ponds, spring seeps, and temporary waters (vernal pools).Glenn B. Wiggins, Larvae of the North American Caddisfly General (Trichoptera), 2nd. ed. (Toronto: University Press, 1996), p. 3 The larvae of many species use silk to make protective cases of gravel, sand, twigs or other debris.
The caddisfly diversity in Sri Lanka is fairly studied from British times to present day. However, the first comprehensive work was done by Schmid in 1958. Then in 1973, Malicky updated the checklist. Currently 188 number of caddisfly species belongs to 18 families are identified from Sri Lanka.
Family: Anomalopsychidae Ceylanopsyche asaka