Microcoryphia

Insects in the Order Microcoryphia (also called Archaeognatha) are elongate, wingless with a pair of antennae. At the end of the abdomen they have two cerci and a central caudal filament.

This order of insects are superficially very similar in appearance to the Three-pronged bristletails and, originally, they were thought to be part of the same order. However, more recently they have been recognised as a different insect order within the Apterygota. The scientific name for the order - Microcoryphia - comes from the Greek micro (small) and coryphia (head) and they do have rather small heads in front of a large pronotum.

The Sea Bristletail (Petrobius maritimus) is a common species around the coast of Britain.

Other names for (or types of) Microcoryphia include:

• Archaeognatha

Related terms

• Apterous
• Apterygota
• Epiproct
• Thysanura

Related groups of terms

• Insect Orders

Related pages on this web site

• Apterygota
• Archaeognatha - Order Microcoryphia
• The Insects - Class Insecta

See other words beginning with M