Prionoglarididae

Introduction

The family Prionoglarididae contains 3 genera and 7 species that have been collected in Europe, Namibia, Afghanistan, and the southwestern US.

Three species of prionoglarids are known from North America, all in the genus Speleketor.  These are medium-sized bark lice with pale bodies and sparse hairs on wings and body, but no scales.  Speleketor species have been collected in caves, on dead palm leaves, and at lights.

Characteristics

Synpaomorphies

• In adults, the lacinia is simplified or reduced.
• In the male, the phallosome is composed of two arms that are fused anteriorly and mostly enclosed in a membranous sac. 

General Characters

• Head: Antennae are long and have 20 segments with ringed sculpturing (annulations).
• Legs: Tarsi have 3 segments.
• Wings: 
  
• Adults have full-length wings.
• Pterostigma is not thickened and is joined to the stem of radial fork by a long crossvein.
• Vein Sc is curved and ends on vein R1.
• Veins CuP and A1 meet on the wing margin forming nodulus.   
• Veins R + Cu1 + M are fused at wing base for a short distance.
• Veins Cu1 + M are fused on basal 1/3 of wing.
• Hindwing vein A has 2 branches.
• Male:
  
• Paraproct anal spine is absent.
• Phallosome is composed of two arms that are fused anteriorly and mostly enclosed in a membranous sac.  
• Female:
  
• Paraproct anal spine is absent.
• Gonapophyses are reduced:
• Dorsal valve is small or absent.
• Ventral valve is small or absent.
• External valve is very broad and hairy with two to four heavy hairs on distal end.

How to Know the Family

• Antennae are long and have 20 segments with ringed sculpturing (annulations).
• Tarsi have 3 segments.
• Adults have full-length wings.
• Forewing vein Sc is curved and ends on vein R1.
• Forewing veins CuP and A1 meet on the wing margin forming nodulus.   
• Hindwing vein A has 2 branches.
• Male genitalia:  Phallosome is composed of two arms that are fused anteriorly and mostly enclosed in a membranous sac.

Discussion of Phylogenetic Relationships

The monophyly of family Prionolarididae is supported by two morphological characters: the simplified or reduced lacinia of adults, and the highly specialized structure of the male genitalia (described under Characteristics).  Molecular analysis also supports monophyly of the familiy based on the sister relationship of genera Prionogalris and Speleketor (18S & Histone3 nDNA, 16S rDNA; Yoshizawa et al. 2006).

Other Names for Prionoglarididae

• Prionoglaridetae

References

Lienhard, C. and C.N. Smithers. 2002. Psocoptera (Insecta) World Catalogue and Bibliography. Muséum d'Histoire Naturelle, Geneva, Switzerland.

Mockford, E.L. 1993. North American Psocoptera (Insecta). Gainesville, Florida: Sandhill Crane Press.

Smithers, C.N. 1996. Psocoptera. Pp. 1-80, 363-372 (Index) in Wells A. (ed.) Zoological Catalogue of Australia. Vol. 26. Psocoptera, Phthiraptera, Thysanoptera. Melbourne: CSIRO Publishing, Australia.

Smithers, C.N. 1972. The classification and phylogeny of the Psocoptera. Memoirs of the Australian Museum 14: 1–349.

Yoshizawa, K., C. Lienhard, and K.P. Johnson. 2006. Molecular systematics of the suborder Trogiomorpha (Insecta: Psocodea: ‘Psocoptera’). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 146: 287–299.