Dicyrtoma fusca (Figs. 1 to 3) is a widespread and common species although it has yet to be recorded from Wales. Members of the Dicyrtomidae are characterised by having a very short fourth antennal segment (Fig. 4). In Dicyrtomina fusca, the third antennal segment (ant3) is not clearly subdivided (Fig. 4) (ant3 is subdivided in Ptenothrix atra). The claw on the foot is not wrapped in an outer membrane and the empodium bears a long filament that reaches beyond the tip of the claw (Fig. 5). The inner and outer edges of the mucro are serrated (Fig. 6) and the setae on the outer edge of the dens are feathered (Fig. 7) (these setae are not feathered in Ptenothrix atra). The spines on the abdomen are relatively short (Fig. 8) and the dorsal side of abd6 (Fig. 9) does not bear the long erect setae that are present in Ptenothrix atra.

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Fig. 1 (above), 2 (left) and 3 (below): Dicyrtoma fusca from a garden in Reading.

Fig. 4 (above): Antenna of Dicyrtoma fusca collected from Rusland Moss in September 1962 by Peter Lawrence.

Fig. 5 (above): Foot of the third leg of the same specimen of Dicyrtoma fusca shown in Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 (above): Mucro of the same specimen of Dicyrtoma fusca shown in Fig. 4.

Fig. 7 (above): Dens of Dicyrtoma fusca collected from Symondshyde, Herts. in October 1925 by C.H. Jackson.

Fig. 8 (above): Posterior abdomen of the same specimen of Dicyrtoma fusca shown in Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 (above): Posterior abdomen of the same specimen of Dicyrtoma fusca shown in Fig. 4.