Petrobius brevistylus
This record describes Petrobius brevistylus (species). Recorded family: Machilidae. Recorded order: Microcoryphia.
Identification and Appearance
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Microcoryphia (Bristletails)
- Family
- Machilidae (Jumping Bristletails)
- Subfamily
- Petrobiinae
- Genus
- Petrobius
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
Cliffs along rocky coasts, typically 5-20 ft above high tide line
Geographic Range
Native to Europe, introduced to North America by 1963 and now spread along the coastal ne. US & adjacent Canada (NS-NB-RI)
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: Petrobius brevistylus Carpenter 1913
About Bristletails: the wider group
Order-level background for Microcoryphia, the group containing Petrobius brevistylus. Species-specific details appear above.
Group overview
Microcoryphia (jumping bristletails) includes ~500 described species. These are among the most primitive living insects - they are wingless, have an arched body, and can jump up to 30cm using their tail-like appendage.
Ecological role of the group
Bristletails feed on algae, lichens, and decaying plant material on rock surfaces and in leaf litter. They are primarily nocturnal and are preyed upon by spiders and ground beetles.
Economic and practical significance of the group
Jumping bristletails have no economic impact. They are valuable to entomologists as living fossils - representing the most ancestral body plan of any living insect group, dating back ~390 million years.
Recorded sources for this group: Entomological research, insect paleontology. Imported estimates may describe particular regions or reporting periods.
Photos of Petrobius brevistylus (4)
Photo credits: Contributed by v belov; Additional contributions by Vox Sciurorum