Diplura
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219998917
2008-06-17T20:35:16Z
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{{Otheruses4|the hexapod order|the spider genus|Diplura (spider)}}
{{Taxobox
| name = Diplurans
| image = Diplura.jpg
| regnum = [[Animal]]ia
| phylum = [[Arthropod]]a
| subphylum = [[Hexapoda]]
| classis = [[Entognatha]]
| ordo = '''Diplura'''
| ordo_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 |author=David R. Maddison |url=http://tolweb.org/Diplura/8204/1995.01.01 |date=[[2005-01-01]]}}</ref>
| subdivision =
[[Campodeidae]]<br />
[[Procampodeidae]]<br />
[[Projapygidae]]<br />
[[Anajapygidae]]<br />
[[Japygidae]]<br />
[[Heterojapygidae]]<br />
[[Dinjapygidae]]<br />
[[Evalljapygidae]]<br />
[[Parajapygidae]]
}}
The [[Order (biology)|order]] '''Diplura''' is one of the four groups of [[Hexapoda|hexapods]], alongside [[insect]]s, [[springtail]]s and [[Protura]]. They are sometimes called "two-pronged bristletails" <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>. Around 800 species have been described, of which around 70 occur in [[North America]] <ref name="TOL"/>, 12 in [[Great Britain]] <ref name="Kendall">{{cite web |url=http://www.kendall-bioresearch.co.uk/diplura.htm |title=Diplura |author=David Kendall |year=2005 |publisher=Kendall Bioresearch Services}}</ref> and two in [[Australia]] <ref name="CSIRO">{{cite web |url=http://www.ento.csiro.au/Ecowatch/Hexapods/diplura.htm |title=Diplura |publisher=[[Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation|CSIRO]] Entomology}}</ref>.
==Anatomy==
Diplurans are mostly between 2 and 5 [[millimetre|mm]] long, although some species of ''[[Japyx]]'' may reach 50 mm <ref name="Kendall"/>. They have no [[eye]]s and, apart from the darkened cerci in some species, they are unpigmented <ref name="Kendall"/>. They have long [[antenna (biology)|antennae]] with ten 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}}</ref>, and a pair of [[cerci]] projecting backwards from the last of the eleven abdominal [[somite]]s <ref name="Earthlife">{{cite web |url=http://www.earthlife.net/insects/diplura.html |title=Diplura |date=[[2005-11-11]] |publisher=The Earthlife Web}}</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]]}}</ref>, leading to occasional confusion with [[earwig]]s <ref name="CSIRO"/>. These cerci give the group its name, from the [[Greek language|Greek]] ''diplo'' ("two") and ''uros'' ("tail") <ref name="McMaster"/>. Some diplurans have the ability to shed their cerci if necessary ([[autotomy]]); of all terrestrial arthropods, only diplurans and [[Phasmatodea|walkingsticks]] have the ability to regenerate these lost appendages over a series of [[ecdysis|moults]] <ref name="McMaster"/>. Moulting occurs up to thirty times throughout the life of a dipluran, which is estimated to last up to one year <ref name="CSIRO"/>. The abdomens of diplurans bear eversible vesicles <ref name="NCSU">{{cite web |url=http://www.cals.ncsu.edu/course/ent425/compendium/diplura.html |title=Diplura |author=John R. Meyer |publisher=[[North Carolina State University]] |year=2005}}</ref> which seem to absorb moisture from the environment and help with the animal's [[water balance]] <ref name="McMaster"/>.
==Ecology==
Diplurans are common in moist [[soil]], [[leaf litter]] or [[humus]] <ref name="NCSU"/>, but are rarely seen because of their size and subterranean lifestyle <ref name="McMaster"/>. They have biting [[mouthparts]] and feed on a variety of live prey and dead organic matter <ref name="Massey"/>. Members of the family [[Japygidae]] are mainly predatory and use their pincer-like cerci to capture prey, including [[springtail]]s, [[Isopoda|isopods]], small [[myriapod]]s, [[insect]] [[larva]]e, and even other diplurans, while members of the family [[Campodeidae]] feed on soil [[fungus|fungi]], [[mite]]s, springtails and other small soil invertebrates, as well as [[detritus]] <ref name="Massey"/>. Those species with long cerci are herbivorous <ref name="CSIRO"/>.
Like other non-insect hexapods, diplurans have [[External fertilization|external fertilisation]]. Males lay up to 200 [[spermatophore]]s a week, which are held off the ground by a short stalk 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="McMaster"/><ref name="CSIRO"/><ref name="NCSU"/>. The hatchlings do not undergo [[metamorphosis]], but resemble the adults, apart from their smaller size, lesser number of [[seta]]e and the lack of reproductive organs <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 |quotes=no |title=A review of molecular data for the phylogeny of basal hexapods |author=A. Carapelli, F. Nardi, R. Dallai & F. Frati |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"/>.
==References==
<div class="references-small"><references/></div>
[[Category:Diplura| ]]
[[Category:Arthropods]]
[[ca:Diplur]]
[[cs:Vidličnatky]]
[[da:Diplurer]]
[[de:Doppelschwänze]]
[[es:Diplura]]
[[eo:Dipluro]]
[[fr:Diplura]]
[[it:Diplura]]
[[lv:Diplūras]]
[[ja:コムシ目]]
[[no:Tohaler]]
[[pl:Widłogonki]]
[[pt:Diplura]]
[[ru:Двухвостки]]
[[sv:Larvborstsvansar]]