Diplura

2025-08-16T03:05:16Z

2400:3740:1108:D200:85F8:6637:2B27:F0B8:

{{Short description|Order of two-pronged bristletails}}
{{Other uses}}
{{Automatic taxobox
| name = Diplurans
| fossil_range = {{Fossil range|Late Carboniferous|Recent|ref=<ref name=IIBD>{{cite book | vauthors = Hoell HV, Doyen JT, Purcell AH |year=1998 |title=Introduction to Insect Biology and Diversity |edition=2nd |publisher= Oxford University Press |page= 320|isbn= 978-0-19-510033-4}}</ref>}}
| image = Diplura.jpg
| image_caption = ''[[Campodea|Campodea staphylinus]]'', Belgium
| display_parents = 2
| taxon = Diplura
| authority = [[Carl Börner|Börner]], 1904
| subdivision_ranks = Families <ref name="TOL">{{cite web |publisher=[[Tree of Life Web Project|Tree of Life Project]] |title=Diplura | first = David R. | last = Maddison |name-list-style = vanc |url=http://tolweb.org/Diplura/8204/1995.01.01 |date=January 1, 2005 |access-date=December 13, 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121017092222/http://tolweb.org/Diplura/8204/1995.01.01 |archive-date=October 17, 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
| subdivision =
* [[Campodeidae]]
* [[Procampodeidae]]
* [[Projapygidae]]
* [[Anajapygidae]]
* [[Japygidae]]
* [[Heterojapygidae]]
* [[Dinjapygidae]]
* [[Evalljapygidae]]
* [[Parajapygidae]]
* [[Octostigmatidae]]
}}

The [[Order (biology)|order]] '''Diplura''' ("two-pronged bristletails") is one of three orders of non-insect hexapods within the class [[Entognatha]] (alongside Collembola ([[springtail]]s) and [[Protura]]).<ref name="Massey">{{cite web |url=http://soilbugs.massey.ac.nz/diplura.php |title=Guide to New Zealand Soil Invertebrates |publisher=[[Massey University]] |year=2006}}</ref> The name "diplura", or "double tail", refers to the characteristic pair of caudal appendages or filaments at the terminal end of the body.

Around 800 species of diplurans have been described.

==Anatomy==
[[File:Campodeidae sp. (11499938054).jpg|left|thumb|280x280px|A dipluran of the family Campodeidae]]
Diplurans are typically {{convert|2|-|50|mm|2|abbr=}} long, with most falling between {{convert|7|and|10|mm|2|abbr=}}.<ref name=":0">[https://bugguide.net/node/view/258497 Bugguide.net. Class Diplura - Two-pronged Bristletails]</ref> However, some species of ''[[Japyx]]'' may reach {{convert|50|mm|abbr=on}}.<ref name="Kendall">{{cite web |last=Kendall |first=David |name-list-style=vanc |year=2005 |title=Diplura |url=http://www.kendall-bioresearch.co.uk/diplura.htm |publisher=Kendall Bioresearch Services}}</ref> They have no [[eye]]s and, apart from the darkened [[cercus|cerci]] in some species, they are unpigmented.<ref name="Kendall"/> Diplurans have long [[antenna (biology)|antennae]] with 10 or more bead-like segments projecting forward from the head.<ref name="McMaster">{{cite web |url=http://www.science.mcmaster.ca/Biology/insect/diplura.htm |title=Diplura |publisher=[[McMaster University]] |year=1999 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070327085016/http://www.science.mcmaster.ca/Biology/insect/diplura.htm |archive-date=2007-03-27 }}</ref> The abdomens of diplurans bear eversible vesicles, which seem to absorb moisture from the environment and help with the animal's [[water balance]].<ref name="McMaster" /> The body segments themselves may display several types of [[seta]]e, or scales and setae.<ref name=":1">{{Cite journal|last=Allen|first=Robert T | name-list-style = vanc |date=Dec 2002|volume=128|issue=4|pages=403–466|jstor=25078790|title=A Synopsis of the Diplura of North America: Keys to Higher Taxa, Systematics, Distributions and Descriptions of New Taxa (Arthropoda: Insecta) |journal=Transactions of the American Entomological Society }}</ref>

Diplurans possess a characteristic pair of cerci projecting backwards from the last of the 11 abdominal [[somite]]s.<ref name="Earthlife">{{cite web|url=http://www.earthlife.net/insects/diplura.html|title=Diplura|date=November 11, 2005|publisher=The Earthlife Web|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061205033402/http://earthlife.net/insects/diplura.html|archive-date=2006-12-05}}</ref> These cerci may be long and filamentous or short and pincer-like,<ref name="Iziko">{{cite web|url=http://www.museums.org.za/bio/insects/diplura/|title=Diplura|year=2004|publisher=[[Iziko Museums of Cape Town]]|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070926231819/http://www.museums.org.za/bio/insects/diplura/|archive-date=2007-09-26}}</ref> leading to occasional confusion with [[earwig]]s.<ref name="CSIRO">{{cite web |title=Diplura |url=http://www.ento.csiro.au/education/hexapods/diplura.html |publisher=[[Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation|CSIRO]] Entomology}}</ref> Some diplurans have the ability to shed their cerci if necessary ([[autotomy]]). Moulting occurs up to 30 times throughout the life of a dipluran, which is estimated to last up to one year.

As [[Entognatha|entognaths]], the mouthparts are concealed within a small pouch by the lateral margins of the head capsule. The mandibles usually have several apical teeth.<ref name=":1" /> Diplurans do not possess any eyes or wings.<ref name=":0" />

In males, glandular setae or disculi may be visible along the first abdominal sternite. External genital organs are present on the eighth abdominal segment.<ref name=":1" />

==Ecology==
Diplurans are common in moist [[soil]], [[leaf litter]] or [[humus]],<ref name="NCSU">{{cite web|url=http://www.cals.ncsu.edu/course/ent425/compendium/diplura.html|title=Diplura| first = John R. | last = Meyer | name-list-style = vanc |year=2005|publisher=[[North Carolina State University]]|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120205205314/http://www.cals.ncsu.edu/course/ent425/compendium/diplura.html|archive-date=2012-02-05|access-date=2006-12-13}}</ref> but are rarely seen because of their size and subterranean lifestyles.<ref name="McMaster"/> They have biting [[Arthropod mouthparts|mouthparts]] and feed on a variety of live prey and dead organic matter.<ref name="Massey"/> Those species with long cerci are herbivorous.<ref name="CSIRO"/>

Diplurans are found on nearly all land masses, except Antarctica and several oceanic islands.<ref name=":1" /> Their role as soil-dwelling organisms may play a key role in indicating soil quality, and as a measure of [[Anthropogenic hazard|anthropogenic]] impact (e.g. soil nutrient depletion as a result of farming).<ref>{{cite journal|last=Roy|first=Sharmila | name-list-style = vanc |date=January 2018|title=Soil Arthropods in Maintaining Soil Health: Thrust Areas for Sugarcane Production Systems|journal=Sugar Tech|volume=20|issue=4|pages=376–391|doi=10.1007/s12355-018-0591-5|s2cid=19040885 }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last=Fernandes Correia |first=Maria Elizabeth | name-list-style = vanc |date=2018 |title=Soil fauna changes across Atlantic Forest succession|url=https://dialnet.unirioja.es/servlet/articulo?codigo=6522470|journal=Comunicata Scientiae|volume=9|issue=2|pages=162–174|via=Dialnet|doi=10.14295/cs.v9i2.2388|doi-access=free}}</ref>

== Reproduction ==
Like other non-insect hexapods, diplurans practice [[External fertilization|external fertilisation]]. Males lay up to 200 [[spermatophore]]s a week, which are held off the ground by short stalks and probably only remain viable for about two days.<ref name="NCSU"/> The female collects the spermatophore with her genital opening, and later lays [[egg (biology)|eggs]] in a cavity in the ground.<ref name="CSIRO"/><ref name="McMaster"/><ref name="NCSU"/> The hatchlings (or [[nymph (biology)|nymph]]s) do not undergo [[metamorphosis]], but resemble the adults, apart from their smaller size, lesser number of [[seta]]e and their lack of reproductive organs.<ref name="Massey"/>

== Lineages ==
[[File:Diplura Campodea Japyx.jpg|thumb|Anatomy of ''Campodea'' (Campodeidae) and ''Japyx'' (Japygidae)|alt=]]
Several major lineages within ''Diplura'' are readily recognizable by the structure of their cerci.

* [[Japygidae]]: possess forceps-like cerci (resembling those of an [[earwig]]). Usually very aggressive predatory diplurans, using their pincer-like cerci to capture prey, including [[springtail]]s, [[Isopoda|isopods]], small [[myriapod]]s, [[insect]] [[larva]]e, and even other diplurans.<ref name="Massey" />
* [[Projapygidae]]: possess stout, short, and rigid cerci.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Smith|first=Leslie M. | name-list-style = vanc |date=1960-09-01|title=The Family Projapygidae and Anajapygidae (Diplura) in North America|journal=Annals of the Entomological Society of America |volume=53|issue=5|pages=575–583|doi=10.1093/aesa/53.5.575 }}</ref>
* [[Campodeidae]]: possess elongate, flexible cerci that may be as long as the antennae and have many segments. Feed on soil [[fungus|fungi]], [[mite]]s, springtails, and other small soil invertebrates, as well as [[detritus]].<ref name="Massey" />

==Relatives==
The relationships among the four groups of hexapods are not resolved, but most recent studies argue against a [[monophyly|monophyletic]] [[Entognatha]].<ref name="Carapelli">{{cite journal |title=A review of molecular data for the phylogeny of basal hexapods | vauthors = Carapelli A, Nardi F, Dallai R, Frati F |journal=Pedobiologia |volume=50 |issue=2 |pages=191–204 |year=2006 |doi=10.1016/j.pedobi.2006.01.001}}</ref> The [[fossil record]] of the Diplura is sparse, but one apparent dipluran dates from the [[Carboniferous]].<ref name="TOL"/> This early dipluran, ''[[Testajapyx]]'', had [[compound eye]]s, and [[insect mouthparts|mouthparts]] that more closely resembled those of true insects.

== References ==
{{Reflist|32em}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category}}

* {{Wikispecies-inline}}

{{Arthropods}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q221563}}
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[[Category:Diplura| ]]
[[Category:Arthropod orders]]
[[Category:Extant Pennsylvanian first appearances]]

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Diplura