Pedetontus saltator

Wygodzinsky & Schmidt, 1980

jumping bristletail

Pedetontus saltator is a of jumping , a primitive wingless insect in the Machilidae. It is found in North America, including records from Vermont in the United States. As a member of , it represents one of the most basal lineages of living insects, retaining characteristics of early insect evolution.

Pedetontus saltator by (c) Katja Schulz, some rights reserved (CC BY). Used under a CC-BY license.

Pedetontus saltator by (c) Katja Schulz, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Katja Schulz. Used under a CC-BY license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Pedetontus saltator: /ˌpɛdəˈtɒntəs ˈsæltətɔːr/

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Identification

Pedetontus saltator can be distinguished from other bristletails by its combination of features typical of the Pedetontus within Machilidae. The epithet 'saltator' refers to its jumping ability. Definitive identification to species level requires examination of morphological characters and comparison with described by Wygodzinsky & Schmidt in 1980.

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Distribution

North America, with confirmed records from Vermont, United States.

Behavior

The name 'saltator' indicates jumping capability, a characteristic of jumping bristletails that enables rapid escape from .

More Details

Taxonomic authority

The was formally described by Wygodzinsky & Schmidt in 1980.

iNaturalist observations

The has 1,416 observations recorded on iNaturalist, indicating it is relatively frequently encountered by naturalists.

Evolutionary significance

As a member of order , Pedetontus saltator belongs to one of only two surviving orders of primitive wingless insects (the other being Zygentoma, silverfish), representing an ancient lineage that diverged from other insects over 400 million years ago.