Cryptopygus garretti is a common and probably widespread species with several records from caves and disturbed sites such as slag heaps. The map includes a few records for Cryptopygus gisini regarded as a junior synonym of Cryptopygus garretti by Potapov (2001) and accepted here. Cryptopygus garretti is eyeless and has an oval PAO (Fig. 1). It is white and reaches a maximum length of 1.8 mm. The fifth (abd5) and sixth (abd6) abdominal segments are fused. The mucro is unique and has five teeth (Figs. 2, 3). Potapov (2001) included this species in the genus Mucrosomia but has recently decided that Cryptopygus is the senior synonym. Thus this species appears as Cryptopygus garretti in the AIDGAP key.

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Fig. 1 (above) : Post-antennal organ of Cryptopygus garretti collected from Godstone Mine in Surrey in January 1968 by W. Maxwell.

Figs. 2 (left) and 3 (right): Both mucros of the same specimen of Cryptopygus garretti shown in Fig. 1. The photos show the same field of view at two levels of focus. The positions of the five teeth on the right mucro are indicated by asterisks (*).