What is Archaeognatha?
Q: What is Archaeognatha?
A: Archaeognatha is an order of wingless insects, also known as jumping bristletails. They first appear in the Devonian period along with the arachnids (Spiders).
Q: What does the name Archaeognatha mean?
A: The name Archaeognatha is derived from Greek Archaeos meaning "ancient" and gnatha meaning "jaw". This refers to the articulation of the mandibles, which has a single condyle, where all higher insects have two. An alternate name, Microcoryphia comes from the Greek micro meaning "small" and coryphia meaning head.
Q: How do Archaeognatha differ from Thysanura?
A: The Order Archaeognatha has previously been combined with the Order Thysanura, or bristletails. Both groups have three-pronged tails with two cerci and an epiproct. However, Archaeognathas are able to use their tail to spring up to 30 cm into the air while Thysanuras cannot.
Q: What kind of exoskeleton do they have?
A: Like Thysanura, the body of an archaeognathas is covered with scales, with a thin exoskeleton that is susceptible to dehydration.
Q: Where can you find them?
A: There are approximately 350 species in two families that are distributed worldwide. They can even be found in Arctic regions where they live in leaf litter and rock crevices.
Q: What do they eat?
A: They feed primarily on algae but also lichens, mosses or decaying organic materials.
Q: Are any species at risk for conservation purposes? A: There are no species at current conservation risk though it may simply be that no one has yet recognized that any species are at risk due to this order being one of the most poorly studied among insects
