Taxa
Dermaptera
Order
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Dermaptera, commonly known as earwigs, is an order of about 2,000 insect species in 12 families, making it one of the smaller insect orders. Earwigs are recognized by the forceps-like cerci at the end of the abdomen, used in defense and courtship, and by short forewings covering membranous hindwings that are rarely used in flight, the source of the order scientific name, meaning skin wings; a few parasitic groups on mammals lack the typical pincers.
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