Archaeognatha
Guides
Chrysops cincticornis
Ring-clawed Deer Fly
Chrysops cincticornis is a deer fly in the family Tabanidae, first described by Walker in 1848. It is commonly known as the Ring-clawed Deer Fly. The species has been documented in Vermont and other parts of the United States, with 291 observations recorded on iNaturalist. Research on this species has focused on its oviposition behavior and fecundity, with laboratory studies showing females deposit eggs in gelatinous masses on mud substrates near water, averaging 156 eggs per female.
deer-flyTabanidaeDipteramedical-entomologyovipositionfecundityring-clawed-deer-flyVermontUnited-Statesmud-substrategelatinous-egg-massChrysopsinaeChrysopsiniWalker-1848iNaturalistlaboratory-rearingegg-mass156-eggsrange-42-312near-watermud-like-substrateegg-depositionreproductionbehavioral-studymedical-entomology-researchinsect-vectorsbiting-fliestabanid-flieshorse-fliesdeer-fliesChrysopsNorth-AmericaNew-Englandobservation-recordssynonym-status-in-Catalogue-of-Lifeaccepted-status-in-GBIFarthropodinsectflyBrachyceraTabanomorphaHexapodaPterygotaAnimaliaArthropodaInsectacincticornisChrysops-cincticornis-Walker-1848Chrysops-(Chrysops)-cincticornisdeerflyhorseflytabanidbiting-flyvectoroviposition-behaviorfecundity-studyJournal-of-Medical-Entomology198210.1093/jmedent/19.5.597gelatinous-secretionmudwaterlaboratory-conditionsmean-fecundityegg-productionreproductive-biologyentomologyinsect-behaviorinsect-reproductiondipterantrue-flytwo-winged-flynematoceranCyclorrhaphaAschizaSchizophoraAcalyptrataeCalyptrataeOestroideaMuscoideaHippoboscoideaGlossinidaeCalliphoridaeSarcophagidaeMuscidaeFanniidaeAnthomyiidaeScathophagidaeOestridaeTachinidaeSiphonapteraPhthirapteraHemipteraColeopteraLepidopteraHymenopteraNeuropteraMegalopteraRaphidiopteraTrichopteraStrepsipteraMecopteraDipluraProturaCollembolaZygentomaArchaeognathaEphemeropteraOdonataPlecopteraGrylloblattodeaMantophasmatodeaPhasmatodeaOrthopteraDermapteraEmbiopteraZorapteraIsopteraBlattodeaMantodeaPhyllodocidaNotopteraWalker1848speciestaxongelatinoushabitatdistributionGBIFCatalogue-of-LifeNCBIlaboratory-studybehaviorlife-cyclesubstratemud-likemeanrange42-312femaleobservationrecordspecimencollectionmuseumresearchstudyarticleabstractDOIbiologyecologyhorse-flyacceptedsynonymtaxonomyclassificationUS291-observationslaboratory291-iNaturalist-observationsGBIF-distribution-recordsaccepted-species-statussynonym-in-Catalogue-of-Life156-eggs-mean-fecundityrange-42-312-eggs1982-Journal-of-Medical-Entomology-publicationDOI-10.1093/jmedent/19.5.597entomology-researchdipteran-biologyHypomachilodes texanus
Hypomachilodes texanus is a species of bristletail in the family Meinertellidae, first described by Silvestri in 1911. It belongs to the order Archaeognatha (also known as Microcoryphia), an ancient group of wingless insects with a fossil record extending back to the Devonian period. The species is known from North America, with records indicating presence in the region. Like other bristletails, it is a primitive hexapod with distinctive morphological features including large compound eyes that meet dorsally and the ability to spring-jump using its caudal appendages.
Machilidae
Jumping Bristletails
Machilidae is a family of wingless insects in the order Archaeognatha, commonly known as jumping bristletails. Adults measure 7–20 mm in body length, with elongated cylindrical bodies covered in overlapping scales and three long terminal filaments. They possess large contiguous compound eyes, a humped thorax, and enlarged hind legs that enable rapid jumping when disturbed. The family contains approximately 250–450 described species with a nearly cosmopolitan distribution, primarily associated with moist, sheltered microhabitats including rocky shorelines, leaf litter, and rock crevices.
Machilinus
rock bristletails
Machilinus is a genus of rock bristletails in the family Meinertellidae, comprising approximately 17 described species. These primitive wingless insects are distinguished from related genera by their diurnal activity pattern, in contrast to the nocturnal habits of many other bristletails. They occupy rocky microhabitats and represent one of the more derived lineages within the Archaeognatha.
Meinertellidae
rock bristletails
Meinertellidae is a family of basal insects in the order Archaeognatha, commonly known as rock bristletails. The family comprises more than 170 species across 19 genera, grouped into five distinct genus groups. Members are distinguished from the related family Machilidae by specific morphological traits including the absence of scales at the base of appendages and the presence of small abdominal sternites protruding between coxal plates. While most Archaeognatha are rock-dwelling, some Meinertellidae species in the Amazon have adapted to arboreal and leaf litter habitats.
Mesomachilis
jumping bristletails
Mesomachilis is a genus of jumping bristletails in the family Machilidae, first described by Silvestri in 1911. The genus contains approximately six described species distributed across North America, including the western United States, Canada, and Mexico. These primitive insects belong to the order Archaeognatha, one of the earliest diverging lineages of living insects.
Pedetontus
jumping bristletails
Pedetontus is a genus of jumping bristletails (order Archaeognatha) in the family Machilidae, first described by Silvestri in 1911. The genus contains approximately 10 described species, with additional cryptic diversity identified through molecular studies, particularly in China where 17 species have been documented. Species are wingless and retain numerous ancestral characteristics including monocondylous mandibles and well-developed abdominal appendages. Recent mitogenomic studies indicate that current morphological classification within the genus requires revision due to paraphyly and cryptic species complexes.
Pedetontus submutans
Pedetontus submutans is a species of jumping bristletail in the family Machilidae, first described by Silvestri in 1911. As a member of the order Archaeognatha, it represents one of the most primitive living lineages of insects. The species is documented from North America. Like other machilids, it is likely found in moist terrestrial microhabitats.
Petridiobius arcticus
Arctic Bristletail
Petridiobius arcticus is a species of jumping bristletail, an ancient lineage of wingless insects belonging to the order Archaeognatha. As a member of the family Machilidae, it represents one of the most primitive insect groups, retaining characteristics of early insect evolution. The species has a broad distribution spanning multiple continents, occurring in both the Palearctic and Nearctic regions. Despite its wide geographic range, detailed biological information remains limited.
Trigoniophthalmus
Trigoniophthalmus is a genus of jumping bristletails in the family Machilidae, order Archaeognatha. The genus was erected by Verhoeff in 1910 and contains approximately 11-14 described species distributed across the Palaearctic region. Taxonomic revision in 2019 established two subgenera: Trigoniophthalmus s. str. and Silvestrius subgen. nov. Species within this genus are distinguished by morphological features of the compound eyes, ocelli, and ovipositor structure.
Trigoniophthalmus alternatus
Cave Bristletail
Trigoniophthalmus alternatus is a species of jumping bristletail, a primitive wingless insect in the order Archaeognatha. It is commonly known as the Cave Bristletail due to its association with subterranean and dark, moist habitats. The species has a broad distribution across Europe, Northern Asia (excluding China), and North America. It was originally described as Machilis alternatus by Silvestri in 1904 before being transferred to the genus Trigoniophthalmus.