Order Psocodea - Barklice, Booklice, and Parasitic Lice Classification · Synonyms and other taxonomic changes · Explanation of Names · Numbers · Size · Identification · Range · Habitat · Life Cycle · Remarks · Works Cited
Classification Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Psocodea (Barklice, Booklice, and Parasitic Lice)
Synonyms and other taxonomic changes Psocoptera, Copeognatha, Corrodentia, Mallophaga, Anoplura
NB: Information here does not fully reflect the incorporation of the
parasitic lice , formerly treated in separate orders, Mallophaga (chewing lice) and Anoplura (sucking lice).
Explanation of Names Psocodea Hennig 1966
Numbers 3 suborders, with ~1,220 spp. in >200 genera of 43 families in our area (incl. ~920 spp., >130 genera and 17 families of parasitic lice) and >12,000 spp. in ~970 genera of 91 families total
(1 )
Overview of our fauna
Taxa not yet in the guide: * native, + non-native.
Order Psocodea
Subfamily THYLACELLINAE Thylacella Enderlein 1911
Subfamily PERIENTOMINAE Nepticulomima Enderlein 1906,
*Proentomum Badonnel 1949,
Soa Enderlein 1904
Subfamily LEPIDOPSOCINAE Echmepteryx Aaron 1886
Subfamily ECHINOPSOCINAE Neolepolepis Mockford 1993,
Pteroxanium Enderlein 1922
Family TROGIIDAE Cerobasis Kolbe 1882,
Lepinotus Heyden 1850,
*Myrmicodipnella Enderlein 1909,
Trogium Illiger 1798
Family PSOQUILLIDAE +Balliella Badonnel 1949,
+Psoquilla Hagen 1865,
Rhyopsocus Hagen 1876
Family PSYLLIPSOCIDAE Dorypteryx Aaron 1883,
Pseudorypteryx Garcia Aldrete 1984,
Psocathropos Ribaga 1899,
Psyllipsocus Selys-Longchamps 1872
Subfamily AMPHIENTOMINAE Lithoseopsis Mockford 1993,
Stimulopalpus Enderlein 1906
Subinfraordinal group PHTHIRAPTERA... TBA Superfamily group
Amblycera
Superfamily group
Ischnocera
Superfamily group
Anoplura
Subfamily EMBIDOPSOCINAE Belaphotroctes Roesler 1943,
Embidopsocus Hagen 1866
Subfamily LIPOSCELIDINAE Liposcelis Motschulsky 1852
Subfamily PACHYTROCTINAE Pachytroctes Enderlein 1905,
Peritroctes Ribaga 1911
Subfamily TAPINELLINAE Nanopsocus Pearman 1928,
Tapinella Enderlein 1908
Family EPIPSOCIDAE Bertkauia Kolbe 1882,
Epipsocus Hagen 1866
Superfamily Asiopsocoidea
Superfamily Caeciliusoidea
Subfamily AMPHIPSOCINAE Polypsocus Hagen 1866
Subfamily CAECILIUSINAE Tribe +Epicaeciliini:
+Orocaecilius Mockford 2000; Tribe Coryphacini:
Stenocaecilius Mockford 2000,
Valenzuela Navás 1924; Tribe Maoripsocini:
Maoripsocus Tillyard 1923
Subfamily PARACAECILIINAE Xanthocaecilius Mockford 1989
Subfamily EOLACHESILLINAE Anomopsocus Roesler 1940,
*Nanolachesilla Mockford & Sullivan 1986,
*Prolachesilla Mockford & Sullivan 1986
Subfamily LACHESILLINAE Lachesilla Westwood 1840
Family ECTOPSOCIDAE Ectopsocopsis Badonnel 1955,
Ectopsocus McLachlan 1899
Subfamily ARCHIPSOCINAE *Archipsocopsis Badonell 1948,
Archipsocus Hagen 1882
Subfamily PSEUDOCAECILIINAE Heterocaecilius Lee & Thornton 1967,
Ophiodopelma Enderlein 1908,
Pseudocaecilius Enderlein 1903
Subfamily AARONIELLINAE Aaroniella Mockford 1951
Subfamily PHILOTARSINAE Philotarsus Kolbe 1880
Subfamily ELIPSOCINAE Cuneopalpus Badonnel 1943,
Clinopsocus New 1972,
Elipsocus Hagen 1866
Subfamily *NEPIOMORPHINAE *Nepiomorpha Pearman 1936
Subfamily PROPSOCINAE Propsocus McLachlan 1866
Subfamily PSEUDOPSOCINAE *Palmicola Mockford 1955,
Reuterella Enderlein 1903
Family HEMIPSOCIDAE Hemipsocus Selys-Longchamps 1872
Family MYOPSOCIDAE Lichenomima Enderlein 1910,
Myopsocus Hagen 1866
Subfamily AMPHIGERONTIINAE Amphigerontia Kolbe 1880,
Blaste Kolbe 1883,
Blastopsocus Roesler 1943
Subfamily PSOCINAE Tribe Cerastipsocini:
Cerastipsocus Kolbe 1884; Tribe Metylophorini:
Metylophorus Pearman 1932; Tribe
Psocini :
Atropsocus Mockford 1993,
Hyalopsocus Roesler 1954,
Psocus Latreille 1794; Tribe
Ptyctini :
Camelopsocus Mockford 1965,
Indiopsocus Mockford 1974,
Loensia Enderlein 1924,
Ptycta Enderlein 1925,
Steleops Enderlein 1910,
Trichadenotecnum Enderlein 1909
Size typically 1.5‒5 mm (up to 10 mm; rarely <1 mm)
Identification Keys to NA bark/booklice in
(2 ) • keys to NA families in
(3 ) (4 )
Pictorial guide to TX fauna in
(5 )
Interactive key to adults in
(6 ) (covers the fauna of the British Isles)
Range worldwide; a number of species cosmopolitan and spreading through the agency of man
Habitat barklice: always outdoors, in a wide variety of habitats; booklice often in homes
Life Cycle A few species are viviparous. Parthenogenesis widespread, usually as thelytoky. Males perform a courtship dance accompanied with clicking sounds from their coxae.
(7 )
Remarks The closest relatives of Holometabolans among extant insects
(8 ) (9 )
Works Cited 2. North American Psocoptera
3. Borror and DeLong's Introduction to the Study of Insects
Contributed by
Troy Bartlett on 16 February, 2004 - 12:32pm
Additional contributions by
cotinis ,
Hannah Nendick-Mason ,
john and jane balaban ,
Beatriz Moisset ,
anitagould ,
Chuck Entz ,
Mike Quinn ,
Graham M ,
ceiseman ,
Robert Lord Zimlich ,
v belov ,
Marci Hess ,
Arturo Santos Last updated 10 October, 2025 - 3:16pm
