Diplurans: Diplura

Diplurans have three distinct body regions (head; thorax, or midsection; and abdomen), no wings, and six legs, but they are not considered true insects. Diplurans form a group closely related to insects that includes proturans (order Protura) and springtails (order Collembola). All of these animals have chewing mouthparts inside a special pocket in their head.

Diplurans are long, slender, and cylindrical or slightly flattened animals that are 0.12 to 1.97 inches (3 to 50 millimeters) in length. They are usually white or pale yellow and are often slightly transparent, or see-through. Their bodies are covered with hairlike structures. Diplurans have no eyes, but their antennae (an-TEH-nee), or feelers, are bristling with sensory hairs. The abdomen has ten segments and is tipped with a pair of threadlike or pincherlike appendages, or limblike structures. Most of the segments have pairs of small leglike structures underneath that are used to support the long abdomen.