Hypogastrura purpurescens is a very common species found in a wide variety of localities including caves, organic matter and sewage filter beds. It is unique in possessing only two clavate tenant setae on the tibiotarsus of the third leg in two rows, one in row A and one in row B (Fig. 5) (tt1 has two clavate tenant setae in two rows and tt2 has three in two rows).

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Fig. 1 (above): Lateral view of furca of Hypogastrura purpurescens collected from Boyle, Co. Sligo in October 1950 by J.T. Salmon.

Fig. 3 (above): First leg of Hypogastrura purpurescens from poultry manure at Ampfield found in 1977 (collector unknown). There is one clavate tenant seta in the A row (A1) and one in the B row (B1).

Fig. 2 (above): Ventral view of furca of Hypogastrura purpurescens collected from Lightwater, Surrey in October 1950, probably by J.T. Salmon.

Fig. 6 (above) : Posterior abdomen of Hypogastrura purpurescens from the same specimen as that shown in Fig. 3. as, anal spines.

Fig. 4 (above) : Second leg of Hypogastrura purpurescens from the same specimen as that shown in Fig. 3. There is one clavate tenant seta in the A row (A1) and two in the B row (B1, B2).

Fig. 5 (above) : Third leg of Hypogastrura purpurescens from the same specimen as that shown in Fig. 3. There is one clavate tenant seta in the A row (A1) and one in the B row (B1).