LIBRARY

CORRODENTIA 191.
Family ATROPIDlE Kolbe 1884 (TROGIIDlE Enderlein 1911) (A-trop'i-dre,
from Atropos, in Greek mythology that one of the three Fates who cuts off
the thread of life, represented in art with a pair of scales or shears; referring
to the "death watch" which was supposed to portend death).
Species in which the wings are wholly absent or only the fore wings are represented
by small scales without venation; the tarsi three-segmented; prothorax
large and divided into three parts; meso- and metathorax separated by a suture.
This is also an important family of wide distribution.
Atropos pulsatorium (Linn.) is a minute, pale-colored species, 1.5-2.0 mm.
long, occurring in houses, libraries, museums, and other structures, as well as
out of doors in deserted beehives and nests of wasps of the genus Polistes. Its
life history and habits are very similar to those of the death watch or cereal
psocid. It has been introduced into North America, Australia, and probably
other continents.
LeNnotus inquilimts Heyden, L. reticulatus Enderlein, and Pteroxanium
squamosum Endl. have wing scales and frequent dwellings as well as out of
doors in Europe. The first of these has been introduced into Australia. All
are pests in museums, libraries, and dwellings.
SELECTED REFERENCES
BANKS, N., "Psocidre," Bull. Mus. Compo Zool. Harvard Col. 64 (3): 299-314, pis. 1-3,
1920.
BHUES, C. T., and A. L. MELANDER, Classification oj Insects, pp. 96-100, Jigs. 125-136,
Harvard College, Cambridge, 1932.
BURMEISTER, H., "Corrodcntia," IIondbuch der Entotnoiogie, abt. 2, heft 2: 757-781,
Enslin, Berlin, 1839.
CHAPMAN, P. J., "Corrodentia of the United States of America: 1. Suborder Isotecnomera,"
JOUT. N. Y. Ent. Soc. 38: 219-290; 319-390, pis. 12-21, 1930.
COMSTOCK, J. H., and A. B. COMSTOCK, Manual jor the study of insects, pp. 1-701. 797
figs., 6 pis., Comstock Pub. Co., Ithaca, N. Y., 1895.
ENDERLEIN, G., "Uber die Morphologie, Gruppierung und systematische Stcllung der
Corrodentien," Zoot. Am. 26: 423, 1903.
--, "Copcognatha," Die Tierwelt Mitteleuropas. IV band: 2 lief: vii I-vii 16, figs.
1-38. 1927.
HANDLlHSCH, A., "Corrodentia (Burmeister) Handlirsch oder Copeognatha Enderlein;
Holz-, Staub-oder BiicherHiuse," Kukenthal Handb. Zoologie band. IV: 862-876,
figs. 909-927, 22 refs., 1930.
NORLAND, R. C., "The anatomy of Troctes divinatorius MUll. Trans.," Wisconsin Acad.
Sci. Arts, Letters 21: 195-211, 3 pls., 1924.
PEARMAN, J. V., "On sound production in the Psocoptera and on a presumed stridulatory
organ," Ent. Mtllly. Mag. 64: 179-186, 1 fig., 5 refs., 1928.
--, "Psocpotera from Warehouses," Ent. Mthly. Mag. 65: 104-109, 3 figs., 1929; 67:
47-50, 4 figs., 95-98, 2 figs., 1931.
--, "The natural history of the PSOCOPTERA," British Assoc. Adv. Sci. Rept. 98th
Meeting pp. 339, 454, 1930.
ROSEWALL, O. W., "The biology of the book·louse, Troctes divinatoria Mull.," Ann. Ent.
Soc. Am. 23: 192-194, 1 fig., 1930.