Order Dipleura

1. Börner 1904
2. No common name
3. Greek, diploos = two; oura = tail
4. Cosmopolitan Class or Order of entognathous, epimorphic hexapods.
5. Position in relation to the Insecta is questioned. Fossil record from the Devonian.
6. Consisting of about 800 nominal species.
7. Size and shape highly variable; usually of small size, but some species up to 50mm long.
8. Included families: Campodeidae, Heterojapygidae, Japygidae, Parajapygidae, Projapygidae.

Diplura Anatomy

1. Body narrow, elongate.
2. Size and shape highly variable; usually of small size, but some species up to 50 mm long.

Head

1. Prognathous.
2. Eyes absent.
3. Antenna moniliform with each segment containing intrinsic musculature.

Thorax

1. Legs with 5 segments.

Abdomen

1. 10 segments; 7-8 abdominal ganglia.
2. Some segments with styli and eversible vesicles; probably involved in water absorption
3. Cerci usually present but variable in development
   • Campodeidae with many-segmented cerci
   • Japygidae cerci 1-segmented, pincher-like
4. Malpighian tubules reduced or absent

Diplura Biology

1. Found under leaves, stones, etc. or in loose, moist soil
2. Development epimorphic - development in which all of the segments are differentiated in the embryo before hatching.
3. Little known about their biology.
4. Few records associate Diplura with ants and termites.
5. Campodeids phytophagous
6. Heterojapygids and japygids predacious
7. No known courtship; male deposits stalked spermatophore on ground.
8. Family Japygidae
   • Predaceous, utilising pincher-like cerci
   • b. Territorial
   • c. Maternal care of eggs and newborn nymphs.

thanks to University of Queensland

• NCSU
• Dipleura - Discoverlife