The only specimens of Sinella curviseta I have seen were collected from the Orchid House at Cambridge Botanic Gardens in 1925 by C.H. Jackson. This is a 'tramp' species that has been introduced, probably from China. Sinella curviseta has two ocelli on each side of the head in separate spots of brown pigment (Fig. 1) (Sinella tenebricosa is blind). The outer edge of the empodium is slightly serrated (Fig. 2; difficult to see) and the mucro has two teeth and a long spine (Fig. 3).
     
Sinella curviseta has been recorded from heated glasshouses at Kew Gardens and elsewhere. A couple of the records are from agricultural land but these are probably misidentifications as Sinella curviseta is unlikely to survive out of doors.

Back to main page

Fig. 1 (above): Sinella curviseta collected from the Orchid House at Cambridge Botanic Gardens in November 1925 by C.H. Jackson. There two ocelli on each side of the head. ant, antennae.

Fig. 2 (above): Foot of the third leg of the same specimen of Sinella curviseta shown in Fig. 1. The outer edge of the empodium is slightly serrated although this character is quite difficult to resolve.

Fig. 2 (above): Mucro and dens  of the same specimen of Sinella curviseta shown in Fig. 1.