GEOGRAPHIC RANGE
Proturans are found around the world, except in the Arctic and Antarctic.
HABITAT
Protura usually prefer to live in moist habitats with lots of rotting plant materials. They are found in meadows or in leaf litter, rotten logs, soil, and moss in wooded areas. Some species live in parks and agricultural fields. Most proturans live near the soil surface, although some are found underground as deep as 10 inches (25.4 centimeters).
DIET
Little is known of the feeding habits of proturans. Their needlelike mouthparts suggest that they feed on fluids. A few species feed on fungus, organisms related to mushrooms. They are believed to suck fluids from threadlike structures that underground funguses use to obtain nutrients from the roots of plants.
PROTURANS AND PEOPLE
Proturans are common in forest leaf litter. They help build nutrient-rich soils by breaking down dead plants. They are not considered pests.
CONSERVATION STATUS
No proturans are endangered or threatened.
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