Dipluran
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Diplurans (Order Diplura) are a small, primitive type of hexapod. Diplurans have two long appendages at the tip of their abdomens, and are sometimes called two-pronged bristletails. True bristletails have three appendages.
Identification
Diplurans are nocturnal, wingless insects. Most are smaller than 7mm in length, although some are 10mm long. They have 1 segment long tarsi and chewing mouthparts that are concealed in a pouch. Besides differing from bristletails in the number of tails and the concealment of the mouthparts, they have shallower bodies and lack compound eyes and scales.
Life Cycle
Diplurans undergo simple metamorphosis. Nymphs of this order are smaller versions of the adult.
Habitat
Diplurans live under leaves, stones, logs, or under bark.
Taxonomy
Diplurans were also formerly in the order Thysanura, or bristletails. They differ from true bristletails in the number of appendages at the tip of their abdomen, and their morphological origin. Diplurans have two such long appendages in the form of modified cerci. Even more recently, diplurans were thought to be insects, along with bristletails and proturans.
Number of species
There are 25 species found in North America, and 400 worldwide.
Subdivisions
There are two suborders in this order.
Bibliography
Borrer, DJ and RE White. A Field Guide to Insects: America north of Mexico. Houghton Mifflin Company: Boston, 1970. ISBN 0-395-91170-2
Milne, L and M Milne. National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Insects & Spiders. Alfred A. Knopf, Inc.: 1995. ISBN 0-394-50763-0
Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Accessed June 4 2008.