This species was previously included in the genus Astata.

Yarrow (1954b) introduced this species to the British list giving characters by which it can be separated from A. parietum. Identification keys and general biology are given in Nielsen (1932), Spradbery (1973), Felton (unpublished), Richards (1980) and Yeo & Corbet (1995).

Identification keys and general biology are given in Richards (1980), Gauld & Bolton (1988) and Yeo & Corbet (1995). Females are wingless, but males are fully-winged.

Identification keys and general biology are given in Malyshev (1968), Richards (1980), Gauld & Bolton (1988), Falk (1991) and Yeo & Corbet (1995).

A large, robust species with ivory spots on the gaster. Until recently this was the only member of this worldwide genus to be found in Britain, but the recent discovery of Episyron gallicum (Tournier) has complicated matters. Females are readily distinguished by having four comb spines of the fore tarsus (three in gallicum), but males are very similar and require critical examination.

Spooner (1973) introduced this species to the British list giving characters to separate it from Ancistrocerus parietum (Linnaeus) and A. gazella (Panzer). Identification keys and general biology are given in Nielsen (1932), Spradbery (1973), Felton (unpublished), Richards (1980) and Yeo & Corbet (1995).

Identification keys and general biology are given in Morgan (1984) and Chapman (1870).

Previously known as Ancistrocerus pictus (Curtis, 1826). A colour form with very pale yellow to ivory-white tergal bands is found in Ireland and the Outer Hebrides: elsewhere the bands are bright yellow. Identification keys and general biology are given in Bignell (1881, 1882), Nielsen (1932), Spradbery (1973), Richards (1980), Gusenleitner (1995) and Yeo & Corbet (1995).

Identification keys and general biology are given in Nielsen (1932), Spradbery (1973), Richards (1980) and Yeo & Corbet (1995).