Other Common Names
Giant Silverfish, Long-tailed Silverfish
Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
Ctenolepisma urbana
The gender of this genus is neuter, not feminine, following ICZN
Article 30, and explicitly clarified in ICZN Opinion 2427 in 2018."
Identification
body uniformly light to dark gray; abdomen lacks median setal combs (tufts of hair) beneath but has setal combs above; rear of abdomen has two pairs of styli (fingerlike processes)
Range
midwestern and southern United States; can be a pest in southern California
Habitat
cracks and crevices in all areas of homes from basement to attic: closets, storage areas, kitchens, garages, etc.; hides during day, and avoids light
Food
paper of high chemical pulp content such as onion skin, cleansing tissue, cellophane; wheat flour and beef extract, especially when used as a paste on paper; starched clothing and dry foods
Life Cycle
female lays eggs in batches of 2-20, placing them in cracks; first instar lacks setae (hairs) and scales; scales appear in 4th instar, and genitalia appear in 14th instar; sexual maturity reached in 2-3 years; adult may molt 3-5 times per year for another 5 years
See Also
Four-lined Silverfish (formerly
Ctenolepisma quadriseriata, now synonymized with
C. lineata) has 4 dark lines down its back (
adult image)
Common Silverfish (
Lepisma saccharina) is smaller (10-12 mm) and has silvery scales but no markings
Firebrat (
Thermobia domestica) is yellowish with dark brown bands and mottled spots on the dorsal surface, and is smaller (about 8 mm) and more stout-bodied (its abdomen is relatively broad-tipped and often shorter than the thorax, giving an overall "chunky" appearance)
Bristletails (order Microcoryphia) have large eyes that meet in the middle, a cylindrical body, an arched thorax, mandibles that articulate at only one point, are not normally found indoors, and have the ability to jump
Internet References
live adult image plus other info (Iziko Museums of Cape Town, South Africa)
live adult images and common name reference [Giant Silverfish] (Stephen Misfud, Wild Plants of Malta and Gozo)
live adult images (Pest and Diseases Image Library, Government of Australia)
drawing of adult; PDF doc with comparison drawings of 3 related species, and brief account of each species (Richard Houseman, U. of Missouri)
adult drawing and common name references [Gray Silverfish, Giant Silverfish] (CSIRO, Australia)
description distribution, diet (Walter Ebeling, U. of California at Riverside)
description biology, food, habitat (Augustine Exterminators, Kansas)
synonyms (Fauna Europaea)
common name reference [Long-tailed Silverfish] (Universal Protein Resource, uniprot.org)
