Forficula dentata

Forficula dentata is a species of earwig in the family Forficulidae, commonly referred to as the Western earwig or European earwig.^[2] It was first described by Danish zoologist, Johan Christian Fabricius, in 1775.

Forficula dentata
Male in Redondo Beach, California
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Dermaptera
Family:	Forficulidae
Genus:	Forficula
Species:	F. dentata
Binomial name
Forficula dentata J.Fabr., 1775
Synonyms[1]
Forficula borealis Leach, 1835 Forficula forcipata Stephens, 1837 Forficula laeviforceps Chopard, 1937 Forficula media Marsham, 1802 Forficula neglecta Marsham, 1802 Forficula parallela Fabricus, 1775

It is a cryptic species belonging to the Forficula auricularia species complex.^[3][4] Originally thought to be a synonym of F. auricularia, it has since been classified its own unique species. Being cryptic, it is often misidentified as F. auricularia or Forficula mediterranea, which differ in their distribution.

The distribution of F. dentata includes the British Isles, parts of Western Europe, Australia,^[5] New Zealand, Chile, the Western United States and Canada.^[6] Other populations of this species include the Belarusian Central Botanic Gardens, Belarus; Newfoundland, Canada; and an individual near Gimmingen, Germany.^[7][8][9]