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Bristletail

Insects

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Bristletails are small, wingless, primitively ancient insects of the order Archaeognatha, among the most evolutionarily basal living insects, recognizable by their arched, humpbacked body, long antennae and three long tail-like appendages at the rear. They are found worldwide under bark, stones and leaf litter, feeding mainly on algae, lichen and decaying plant matter, and are noted for a distinctive springing jump powered by flexing the abdomen against the ground, unusual for a wingless insect.

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