Psocoptera
Psocoptera (/soʊˈkɒptərə/) are a paraphyletic group of insects that are commonly known as booklice, barklice or barkflies. The name Psocoptera has been replaced with Psocodea in recent literature, with the inclusion of the former order Phthiraptera into Psocodea (as part of the suborder Troctomorpha).
| Psocoptera Temporal range: Late Jurassic – Recent | |
|---|---|
| Echmepteryx hageni | |
| Unidentified barklouse | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| (unranked): | Paraneoptera |
| (unranked): | Psocoptera |
| Groups included | |
| |
| Cladistically included but traditionally excluded taxa | |
These insects first appeared in the Permian period, 295–248 million years ago. They are often regarded as the most primitive of the hemipteroids. Their name originates from the Greek word ψῶχος (psokhos), meaning "gnawed" or "rubbed" and πτερά (ptera), meaning "wings". There are more than 5,500 species in 41 families in three suborders. Many of these species have only been described in the early twenty-first century. They range in size from 1–10 millimetres (1/32–13/32 in) in length.
The species known as booklice received their common name because they are commonly found amongst old books—they feed upon the paste used in binding. The barklice are found on trees, feeding on algae and lichen.