Bristletail Identification Resources

[Andrew C]

Hello,

I have just been reading with interest about the rare Bristletail, Trigoniophthalmus alternatus in Devon. This intrigued me enough to seek resources for identifying Bristletails. There is a Handbook from the RES by Delaney mentioned in the bibliography but this was written in 1954. So, I wanted to ask what the current status is and what keys people are using if any.

Regards,
Andrew.

[MattPrince]

Good luck Andrew, I didn't get any response with this previous query of mine:-

Dilta Sp. - Seperating littoralis from hibernica

..and an extensive web-trawl showed up very little - coming back to the booklet by Delaney you mention (He was at Exeter btw, so I was wondering if the University has a copy of this).

I've now got three bristletail specimens - one I'm fairly sure is petrobius from Hartland Quay, a second which appears to be petrobius - despite being from Fingle Bridge - and one that appears to be dilta sp. (from Berry Head).

Another intriguing thing - there is a species dilta charteri supposedly in the uk according to the european species website - but it showed up in my internet trawl as an attempt to submit a record to the NBN gateway, but the species couldn't be submitted - so even determining which species are present in the UK is not cut and dried.

Regards,
Matt

[Andrew C]

Evening Matt,

Looks like it might be an idea to contact Exeter University to ask if they have a copy that I can view. I think there is also an AGM of the Entomology Section of the Devonshire Association coming up soon so that might be a place to ask some boffins.

Cheers,
Andrew.

[Jason Green]

Sounds like a niche area of study.

It may be worth throwing the catch-net wider and getting keys on European species. Still get Delaney, though.

[poschiavanus]

Originally Posted by Jason Green

Sounds like a niche area of study.

Unlike, say, Whale Lice, which have had two monographs in the Synopses of the British Fauna devoted to them since the 1940s!

It may be worth throwing the catch-net wider and getting keys on European species. Still get Delaney, though.

There doesn't seem to be a huge amount of current European literature, judging by the bibliography in EFD2, just a few checklist type papers. The German fauna is given as 19 Diplurans, 41 Proturans, 8 Archaeognathans and 4 Zygentomans.

The state of the British list in 1916, can be gauged by Carr's entry in Invertebrates of Nottinghamshire

THYSANURA.
The Thysanura have the abdomen divided into ten segments some of which bear short, paired, limb-like appendages, while the last segment has a pair of processes or cerci which are generally long, slender, many-jointed and antenna-like, but in one family form a pair of forceps somewhat like those of earwigs. A single median tail appendage, similar to the cerci, occurs in some forms.
Of the five recorded British species of Thysanura four have been found in Nottinghamshire : the remaining species, Machilis maritima, is confined to the coast, where it occurs under stones at and above high-water mark.
CAMPODEA Westw.
C. staphylinus Westw. This tiny white fragile insect, suggesting a minute Myriapod in appearance and movements, is found very frequently under stones and logs and among damp loose soil in gardens and fields in Nottingham and many other localities in the county.
LEPISMA Linn.
L. saccharina Linn. The active little ' silver fish' found commonly in kitchens and bakehouses in Nottingham and throughout the county. It is one of the most familiar of household pests.
THERMOBIA Bergr,
T. domestica Pack. West Bridgford, Nottingham, Nov. 1904, in abundance among cinders under fire-grates in a dwelling-house.
MACHILIS Latr.
M. polypoda Linn. Common under stones in quarries throughout the whole of the Magnesian Limestone district.

Apart from silverfish seen long ago I don't recall seeing a single bristletail of any description. Time to get looking.

[Jason Green]

I think it was one I saw, around the time I was shifting a few paving-slabs in the garden.

[Andrew C]

Thanks. I have not seen a single Silverfish this year despite trying. Even whipping doors open in the middle of the night fails. Have they declined or am I just unlucky?

Regards,
Andrew.

[MattPrince]

Central heated house perchance?

Bristeltails are actually dairly common when you look in the right area.
Try coastal walls with a bit of fern or other vegetatiob for petrobius and tree bark and on toilet walls!

I wonder if Mr Delaney would be adverse to a reprint or web host of his work?

Matt

[Jason Green]

Originally Posted by Andrew C

Thanks. I have not seen a single Silverfish this year despite trying. Even whipping doors open in the middle of the night fails. Have they declined or am I just unlucky?

No C/H here, I've seen one or two silvers each day on the work-top scurrying under the kettle when I put the light on first-thing whilst preparing for work at 05:15am this week. Best time of day for spotting them, though it does concern me putting the kettle back down once filled in case I crush them!

[Andrew C]

Originally Posted by MattPrince

Central heated house perchance?

Bristeltails are actually dairly common when you look in the right area.
Try coastal walls with a bit of fern or other vegetatiob for petrobius and tree bark and on toilet walls!

I wonder if Mr Delaney would be adverse to a reprint or web host of his work?

Matt

No, not got central heating. Just storage heaters and a coal fire. Might have to ask to look in other people's cupboards!

I have seen a few Bristletails this year in various places but not bothered to have a go for lack of literature. Hopefully that will change soon. I will try to contact the university this afternoon.

Originally Posted by Jason Green

No C/H here, I've seen one or two silvers each day on the work-top scurrying under the kettle when I put the light on first-thing whilst preparing for work at 05:15am this week. Best time of day for spotting them, though it does concern me putting the kettle back down once filled in case I crush them!

I think it might be a challenge to crush them under the kettle. I remember it was 'impossible' to catch them when I was younger. Fast wee buggers.

Cheers,
Andrew.