Rock Bristletail vs Southern Rock Bristletail

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Rock Bristletail Southern Rock Bristletail
Scientific Name Petrobius brevistylis Lepismachilis y-signata
Order Archaeognatha Archaeognatha
Family Machilidae Machilidae
Size 9-12 mm 8-11 mm
Habitat Beaches & Coastal Underground
Diet Omnivores Detritivores
Regions Europe Mediterranean Europe
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Rock Bristletail

A coastal bristletail found on rocky shores from Scandinavia to the Mediterranean. It has shorter cerci than the related P. maritimus.

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Did You Know?

It can tolerate brief immersion in seawater during high tides.

Southern Rock Bristletail

A Mediterranean bristletail identified by a Y-shaped marking on its thorax. It lives under stones and in rock crevices.

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Did You Know?

The Y-shaped thoracic marking gives this species its distinctive name.