Epiproct

The epiproct is a projects from an insect's tenth abdominal segment. Not all insects possess an epiproct. Dragonflies have a small epiproct but in some insects (such as the bristletails) the epiproct can be a very long filament-like structure.

The Sea Bristletail (Petrobius maritimus) is a common species around the coast of Britain. The epiproct is the central filament at the end of the abdomen, the other two filaments are the cerci.

Related terms

• Abdomen
• Cerci
• Microcoryphia
• Odonata
• Thysanura

Related groups of terms

• Invertebrate body structure

See other words beginning with E