Definition of bristletail in English:
bristletail
noun ˈbrɪs(ə)lteɪlˈbrisəlˌtāl
A small primitive wingless insect which has bristles at the end of the abdomen.
Orders Thysanura (the true bristletails, with three bristles, including the silverfish) and Diplura (the two-pronged bristletails), subclass Apterygota
Example sentencesExamples
- The bristletails and silverfish both have two long cerci, and between this a caudal appendage.
- Jumping bristletails moult 8 to 10 times before reaching sexual maturity, which may take up to two years.
- Jumping bristletails eat algae that grow on the surfaces of rocks, logs, and trees.
- All bristletails are carrot-shaped, somewhat flattened, and covered with grayish scales.
- The jumping bristletails are an inconspicuous group, looking much like their better-known cousins, the silverfish.