Thysanura
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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 Silverfish
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The insects of the order may be called bristletails, from their three long caudal filaments. The families Machilidae and Meinertellidae of the jumping bristletails were once included with Thysanura, but are now in the order Archaeognatha (= "Microcoryphia"). Occasionally, the correspondingly restricted order Thysanura is referred to as Zygentoma.
Silverfish are so called due to the silvery glitter of the scales covering their bodies. Their movement is "fish-like" and makes it look as if they're swimming. They are less than half an inch (1 cm) long and found in damp corners or amongst books and paper in houses. Silverfish feed on cereals, paste, paper, starch in clothes, rayon fabrics and dried meats. [1]Silverfish can sometimes be found in bathtubs or sinks at night, as they have difficulty moving on smooth surfaces and so become trapped. Wild species often are found in habitats such as caves, and some are commensals living in association with ant colonies.
There are no current species formally considered to be at conservation risk, though several are troglobites limited to one or a few caves or cave systems, and these species run an exceptionally high risk of extinction.
[edit] External links
- Thysanura - Tree of Life Web Project
- Virginia Extension Service Article
- Harvard University Fact Sheet on silverfish and firebrats
[edit] Sources
- Grimaldi, D. and Engel, M.S. (2005). Evolution of the Insects. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-82149-5.
- Charles A. Triplehorn and Norman F. Johnson, Borror and DeLong's Introduction to the Study of Insects, 7th edition (Thomas Brooks/Cole, 2005), pp. 177-180
- Firefly Encyclopedia of Insects and Spiders, edited by Christopher O'Toole, ISBN 1-55297-612-2, 2002
This article incorporates text from the Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition, a publication now in the public domain.
