Kendall Bioresearch David A Kendall BSc PhD
Consulting Entomologist 		KBS Insect Web Site 2 Birchdene Nailsea Bristol BS48 1QD UK
Tel/Fax: 01275 854224
E-Mail: [email protected]
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Order Protura

(Prot-ura, from Greek protos = first, oura = tail)		 Class: Insecta
Order: Protura
Examples:

Minute wingless insects, without eyes or antennae. Mouthparts for piercing and sucking. Front legs held forward in the manner of antennae. Tarsi 1-segmented. Cerci absent. Metamorphosis slightor wanting. About 70 species are presently recognised, of which 17 occur in the British Isles.

Acerentomon sp.

Description. Minute, whitish insect, less than 2 mm long.

Biology. Found in leaf litter and in moist soil with plenty of organic matter. The piercing mouthparts are used for sucking juices from fungal hyphae and decaying vegetable matter.

Distribution. Britain and northern Europe (probably other temperate regions).

Illustration: adapted from Sylvestri 1907 (Boll. Lab. Zool. Portici 1, 296-311)

ADULT

insect classification
(classification of insects)		 KEY
(identification key to insect orders)
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Copyright © 2009 David Kendall Last revised January 2009