Elipsocus sp.

Elipsocus sp.

Many male Elipsocus either cannot be identified to species or can only be identified to species with a very fresh specimen. Elipsocus hyalinus is presumed to be ruled out as males are not known to occur in the UK and the only other species I have positively identified so far is Elipsocus pumilus. For some of the following I have suspected abdominalis, based on the fact that I was unable to see dark markings on the dorsum of the abdomen in the live photos nor on the cleared abdomen, however I was not sure how well the dark markings on other species would survive clearing. Having now examined further specimens, although the dark markings do seem to survive clearing on female Elipsocus hyalinus, and appear to have survived clearing on the comparative abdomen photos at the Barkfly Recording Scheme website, many of the male Elipsocus I have examined did not show any dark markings after clearing despite these including at least one which did seem to have dark markings on the dried-out pre-cleared specimen. I am also not convinced that the live photos, with wings held over the abdomen, are sufficient to firmly establish the absence of dark markings on the top of the abdomen. Currently my position is that none of the males I have collected so far can safely be attributed to abdominalis.

male Elipsocus sp. showing forewing and abdomen (dried and cleared), North Elmham (Norfolk, UK), 18th August 2025

male Elipsocus sp. showing phallasome (2 views), North Elmham (Norfolk, UK), 19th May 2024

male Elipsocus sp. showing wing and phallasome, North Elmham (Norfolk, UK), 1st September 2021

I had previously included this one on the Elipsocus abdominalis page as a provisional and tentative ID, but having now examined lots more male Elipsocus I think it's best to treat them all as nothing more than Elipsocus sp. This one was knocked out of mistletoe growing on apple. Its forewing was about 3.1mm long.

Although the areola postica was joined to the median vein on one wing, it was clearly separate on the other. Keying it as joined soon led to a dead end but keying it as seperate soon led to Elipsocus which appears to be correct, so I assume it was the wing where it was joined that was aberrant.

male Elipsocus sp. showing wings (3 photos including close-up of forewing with aberrant vein) and abdomen (from above and two from below), County School Station, North Elmham (Norfolk, UK), 24th May 2024