Family-Group Names for Earwigs (Dermaptera)

Abstract

Family-group names for all taxa of earwigs (living and extinct) are listed with dates and sources indicated; in total 85 entries are recorded along with a single entry of dubious taxonomic identity (i.e., Ocelliidae, nomen dubium, a name apparently applied to a fossil earwig nymph of uncertain status and identity). This survey revealed two instances in which currently accepted names must be changed owing to priority by an older name: Platylabiinae and Cosmiellinae must be replaced by Palicinae and Skendylinae, respectively, as the family-group names remain valid despite synonymy of their type genera. The type genus of Verhoeff’s Gonolabididae (as Gonolabidae) is Gonolabis, not Gonolabina (which is the type genus of Gonolabininae, Gonolabiinae auctorum) as asserted by various authors. In addition, the generally asserted authorship and dates of numerous names are found to be incorrect and are therefore revised herein. Most notably, the name Carcinophorinae as used by Hincks was a nomen nudum and therefore unavailable (the name was first made available by Popham). The widely employed spellings (all incorrectly formed) of Anataelinae, Challinae, Protolabinae, Anophthalmolabiinae, Titanolabinae, Gonolabinae, Brachylabinae, Isolabinae, Antisolabinae, Parisolabinae, Chaetospanini, Irdexinae, Eudohrninae, Rudraxinae, Gonolabinae, Rhyacolabinae, and Kinellinae are corrected to Anataeliinae, Challiinae, Protolabidinae (5 Echinosomatinae), Anophthalmolabidinae, Titanolabidinae, Gonolabidinae (5 Anisolabidinae), Brachylabidinae, Isolabidinae, Antisolabidinae, Parisolabidinae, Chaetospaniini, Irdicinae (5 Spongophorinae), Eudohrniinae (5 Neolobophorinae), Rudracinae, Gonolabininae, Rhyacolabidinae (5 Ancistrogastrinae), and Kinesinae, respectively. The following nomenclatural changes are proposed: Acrania, reinstated as genus; Epicranopygia, new synonym of Acrania; Acrania angulata, new combination; A. constricta, new combination; A. eximia, reinstated combination; A. fletcheri, new combination; A. picta, reinstated combination; A. triangulata, new combination; A. vittipennis, new combination; Pyge, reinstated as genus; Paracranopygia, new synonym of Pyge; Pyge assamensis, new combination; P. bakeri, new combination; P. burmensis, new combination; P. comata, new combination; P. formosa, new combination; P. maculipes, new combination; P. meghalayana, new combination; P. modesta, reinstated combination; P. pallidipennis, new combination; P. proxima, new combination; P. semenovi, new combination; P. siamensis, new combination; P. similis, new combination; P. tonkinensis, new combination; P. variegata, new combination; P. vicina, new combination; Paradiplatys, reinstated as genus; Lobodiplatys, Heterodiplatys, and Epidiplatys, reduced to subgenera of Paradiplatys (and their included species reinstated in combination with Paradiplatys); Paradiplatys (Lobodiplatys) coriaceus, reinstated combination; P. (Paradiplatys) conradti, reinstated combination; P. (P.) lamottei, reinstated combination; P. (P.) pectinatus, reinstated combination; P. (P.) salvazae, reinstated combination; P. (P.) spinulosus, reinstated combination; P. (Heterodiplatys) bicolor, reinstated combination; P. (H.) bihamatus, reinstated combination; P. (H.) burri, reinstated combination; P. (H.) rotundicollis, reinstated combination; P. (H.) schoutedeni, reinstated combination; P. (Epidiplatys) gladiator, reinstated combination; Cretolabiinae, new subfamily (Anisolabididae); Paratitanolabis, new synonym of Titanolabis; Titanolabis bormansi, new combination; and Titanolabis myanmarensis, new name.