Proturans (Protura)

The order Protura consists of minute soil-inhabiting hexapods characterized by the lack of eyes and antenna, a 12 segmented abdomen and development by anamorphosis. The first three abdominal segments have small leg-like appendages that are capable of movement. The first pair of legs have enlarged foretarsi that are covered with many types of setae and sensilla and function as antenna. The first Proturan species discovered, Acerentomon doderoi, was described in 1907 by Silvestri. Some researchers believe that Protura is a sister group to the Collembola, though Protura may be a separate class. Here, it is included in the class Entognatha. Protura have a worldwide distribution with over 500 described species divided into two distinct suborders: Eosentomoidea and Acerentomoidea with 9 families:

• Class: Entognatha

• Order: Protura

• Suborder: Eosentomoidea

• Family: Eosentomidae

• Family: Sinentomidae

• Suborder: Acerentomoidea

• Family: Acerentomidae

• Family: Protentomidae

• Family: Hesperentomidae

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