Archaeognatha
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The Archaeognatha are known as the bristletails, so named because of their three-pronged tails. An alternate name is the Microcoryphia from micro, small and coryphia, head. They are among the least evolutionarily changed insects, appearing in the Devonian period along with the Arachnids. The name Archaeognatha is derived from Greek. Archaeos meaning is combined with gnatha meaning . There are approximately 350 species in the two families. They are distributed worldwide, and unusual in the insect world in that they can even be found in the Arctic where they live in leaf litter and rock crevices.
There are no current species at conservation risk.
Sources
- Firefly Encyclopedia of Insects and Spiders, edited by Christopher O'Toole, ISBN 1-55297-612-2, 2002
External links
- [Archaeognatha] - Tree of Life Web Project
- [Microcoryphia] Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State College Department of Entomology
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