Overview
The most commonly encountered group of silverfish, occurring throughout most of Australia and offshore islands, including Lord Howe. Six of the species are cosmopolitan household pests,
Ctenolepisma
predominating. Most other species are found under bark or rocks, in ant or termite nests, or in litter.
Description
Eyes present; body with scales, generally pigmented.
Distribution
There are 5 described Australian species of
Heterolepisma
[although Paclt (1967) placed
H. hartmeyeri
in a monotypic genus
Anisolepisma
] and 5 of
Acrotelsella
, plus several undescribed species of both.
H. michaelseni
has been collected from ant nests. Undetermined
Ctenolepisma
are known from termite nests and logs in Qld, N.S.W., S.A. and W.A., and 3 undescribed species of
Lepisma
have been found in termite nests and rotting logs in northern and central Australia; both subgenera of
Lepisma
, i.e.
Lepisma
and
Tricholepisma
, are represented. At least 2 undescribed genera are present, one from litter in the Victorian mallee and one from central Australia.