Ctenolepisma
genus of insects
Ctenolepisma is a genus of primitive insects in the order Zygentoma, closely related to the silverfish and firebrat but less reliant on human habitation, some species being found both indoors and outdoors and some found exclusively outdoors. The genus is distributed nearly worldwide in warm regions. Australia lacks native Ctenolepisma, but is home to introduced species.
Nomenclature
Most authors have historically treated the nomenclatural gender of Ctenolepisma as feminine, but in 2018 the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature issued a formal ruling (ICZN Opinion 2427) stating the gender of Lepisma (and all genera with that ending) is neuter, following ICZN Article 30, which resulted in changes to the spelling of several well-known species, including Ctenolepisma longicaudatum (formerly longicaudata).
Diversity
There are roughly 75 extant species presently recognized as valid in the genus, and one fossil:
Gallery
References
Further reading
Chinery, Michael (1991) [1986]. Collins Guide to the Insects of Britain and Western Europe. ISBN 978-0-00-219170-8.
“Ctenolepisma” enters the record as genus of insects. Crown Archives preserves that source wording while asking what Ctenolepisma, genus and insects can confirm, complicate or overturn.
Why this record matters
“Ctenolepisma” is worth following because a concise public description often conceals a longer documentary argument. Here, Ctenolepisma, genus and insects provides the most credible route into that argument.
Datasets, specimens, observations and peer-reviewed methods provide the appropriate test for the technical claims summarized here. The source revision retrieved here is dated Feb 14, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q5191665. None of the 0 selected statements returned an explicit reference. The first chronological checks are 2018, 1991 and 1986.
Current terminology should not be projected backward without checking the classification used when the underlying evidence was created. The source lead contains qualifying language; that uncertainty should survive quotation, summary and reuse. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Check terminology, classification and the date of the cited evidence. Scientific names and technical consensus can change while older records retain historical value.
- Current terminology
- Classification context
- Finding cited technical literature
Primary datasets, specimen catalogues, standards bodies and the most recent peer-reviewed literature.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Ctenolepisma”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Ctenolepisma primary sources, Ctenolepisma archive and Ctenolepisma research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Ctenolepisma”?
- Is the terminology current, historical or disputed?
- Has classification or technical consensus changed since the cited source?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Ctenolepisma” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.