Order Microcoryphia - Bristletails

=Archaeognatha

The name Microcoryphia was proposed by Verhoeff on April 22, 1904; Borner proposed the name Archaeognatha 11 days later

Greek mikros 'small' + koryphe 'head'

22 spp. in 12 genera of 2 families in our area(1), ~about 350 spp. worldwide

up to 20 mm

wingless; body cylindrical, brownish or yellowish with darker mottling or irregular pattern; thorax arched dorsally; tip of abdomen with 1 long medial filament and 2 shorter lateral cerci; long thread-like antennae with many segments; eyes large and meet in middle; mandibles articulate at one point only; short lateral styli (rudimentary appendages) on abdominal segments 2-9; able to jump up to 10 cm by snapping abdomen against ground

most of NA and the world

outdoor grassy or wooded environments: under bark, in leaf litter, rock crevices, or under stones; not normally found in homes, does not breed indoors, and not considered a pest

algae, lichen, moss, decaying vegetation; usually feed at night

Sexual maturity is reached after at least eight juvenile instars spanning up to two years. Molting continues periodically even after adulthood. The sexes are separate, but copulation does not occur. Males produce a packet of sperm (spermatophore) and leave it on the ground to be picked up by a female. Females cannot store sperm (they lack a spermatheca), and evidently acquire a new spermatophore before each bout of egglaying. Eggs are laid singly or in small groups (less than 30). Some species have elaborate courtship rituals to insure that females are able to locate a spermatophore. (Meyer 2005)

See Thysanura & Thysanoura, N.J. Kluge

Bristletails can jump several times its length(2)

They are very sensitive to moisture and don't survive long if the humidity drops too low.(2)

Silverfish (Zygentoma): compound eyes small or absent; body flattened; often found in homes and run quickly but cannot jump.