Forficulidae Explained

Forficulidae is a family of earwigs in the order Dermaptera. There are more than 70 genera and 490 described species in Forficulidae.

Species in this family include Forficula auricularia (the European earwig or common earwig) and Apterygida media (the short-winged earwig or hop-garden earwig).

Forficulidae was formerly considered a suborder of Dermaptera, Forficulina, but was reduced in rank to family and placed in suborder Neodermaptera.

Genera

These 71 genera belong to the family Forficulidae:

• Acanthocordax Günther, 1929
• Afrocosmia Hincks, 1960
• Afroforficula Steinmann, 1990
• Allodahlia Verhoeff, 1902
• Ancistrogaster Stal, 1855
• Anechura Scudder, 1876
• Apterygida Westwood, 1840
• Arthroedetus Caudell, 1907
• Brachycosmiella Steinmann, 1990
• Brindleiana Steinmann, 1975
• Chaetocosmia Nishikawa, 1973
• Chamaipites Burr, 1907
• Chelidura Latreille, 1825
• Cipex Burr, 1910
• Cordax Burr, 1910
• Cosmiella Verhoeff, 1902
• Cosmiola Bey-Bienko, 1959
• Diaperasticus Burr, 1907
• Doru Burr, 1907
• Elaunon Burr, 1907
• Eparchus Burr, 1907
• Eudohrnia Burr, 1907
• Eulithinus Hincks, 1935
• Eumegalura Bey-Bienko, 1934
• Eutimomena Bey-Bienko, 1970
• Forcepsia Moreira, 1930
• Forficula Linnaeus, 1758
• Guanchia Burr, 1911
• Hypurgus Burr, 1907
• Kleter Burr, 1907
• Liparura Burr, 1907
• Lipodes Burr, 1907
• Litocosmia Hebard, 1917
• Mesasiobia Semenov, 1908
• Mesolabia Shiraki, 1905
• Metresura Rehn, 1922
• Mixocosmia Borelli, 1909
• Neocosmiella Hebard, 1919
• Neolobophora Scudder, 1875
• Neoopisthocosmia Steinmann, 1990
• Neopterygida Srivastava, 1984
• Obelura Burr, 1907
• Opisthocosmia Dohrn, 1865
• Oreasiobia Semenov, 1936
• Osteulcus Burr, 1907
• Paracosmia Borelli, 1909
• Paracosmiella Steinmann, 1990
• Parasondax Srivastava, 1978
• Parasyntonus Steinmann, 1990
• Paratimomenus Steinmann, 1974
• Pareparchus Burr, 1911
• Parlax Burr, 1911
• Perirrhytus Burr, 1911
• Praos Burr, 1907
• Proforficula Steinmann, 1990
• Prosadiya Hebard, 1923
• Pseudochelidura Verhoeff, 1902
• Pterygida Verhoeff, 1902
• Sarcinatrix Rehn, 1903
• Setocordax Brindle, 1970
• Skalistes Burr, 1907
• Sondax Burr, 1910
• Spinosocordax Steinmann, 1988
• Syntonus Burr, 1910
• Timomenus Burr, 1907
• Tristanella Borelli, 1909
• † Apanechura Zhang, 1989
• † Forficulites Statz, 1939
• † Hadanechura Zhang Junfeng, Sun Bo & Zhang Xiyu, 1994
• † Rupiforficula Engel & Chatzimanolis, 2010
• † Tauropygia Brindle, 1970

Further reading

• The comparative external morphology and affinities of the Dermaptera. 1963. Giles . E. T.. Transactions of the Royal Entomological Society of London. 115. 4. 95–164. 10.1111/j.1365-2311.1963.tb00816.x.
• Phylogeny of earwigs (Insecta: Dermaptera) based on molecular and morphological evidence: reconsidering the classification of Dermaptera. 2005. Jarvis . Karl J.. Haas . Fabian. Whiting . Michael F.. Systematic Entomology. 30. 3. 442–453. 0307-6970. 10.1111/j.1365-3113.2004.00276.x. 85718043.