noun
- A member of Protura, a small order of primitive arthropods with elongated bodies, found in soil and leaf litter.
Usage: zoology; plural: proturans or protura; also called telsontails
Examples
- Proturans are tiny soil-dwelling arthropods that are rarely seen without a microscope.
- Scientists studying soil ecosystems often encounter proturans in their samples.
- Unlike insects, proturans lack antennae and have a unique body structure.
- The order Protura includes several species of proturans found worldwide.
- Proturans play a role in soil decomposition and nutrient cycling.