Cryptopygus scapelliferus is a scarce species. There is only one specimen in the NMHL slide collection collected from Weeting Heath by Peter Lawrence in September 1963 (mis-identified as Cryptopygus bipunctatus).
     Cryptopygus scapelliferus is eyeless and has an oval post-antennal organ (PAO). It is white and reaches a maximum length of 0.6 mm. The fifth (abd5) and sixth (abd6) abdominal segments are fused. The mucro has two teeth. The main diagnostic character is the presence of 4+4 'flame-like' sensory setae on the dorsal side of abd 5/6 (Fig. 1).

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Fig. 1: Cryptopygus scapelliferus collected from Weeting Heath in September 1963 by Peter Lawrence. The asterisks (*) are adjacent to the four 'flame-like' sensory setae on the right side of the dorsal surface of abd 5/6.