Order: Embiidina (webspinners)

[= Embioptera, Embiodea]

Life > Eukaryotes > Opisthokonta > Metazoa (animals) > Bilateria > Ecdysozoa > Panarthropoda > Tritocerebra > Phylum: Arthopoda > Mandibulata > Atelocerata > Panhexapoda > Hexapoda > Insecta (insects) > Dicondyla > Pterygota > Metapterygota > Neoptera > Polyneoptera > Anartioptera > Plecopterida

Webspinner, found in leaf litter in old renosterveld on Koeberg (hill) near Cape Town. [photo HG Robertson, Iziko ©]

Webspinners are so called because they have swollen fore-tarsi that are able to produce silk. This rather uncommon group of insects is usually found under rocks or other debris on the ground where they live in silken tunnels they have constructed.

References

• Ross, E.S. 2000. Embia. Contributions to the biosystematics of the insect order Embiidina. Part 1. Origin, relationships and integumental anatomy of the insect order Embiidina.  Occasional Papers of the California Academy of Sciences 149 (1): 1-53.

• Ross, E.S. 2000. Embia. Contributions to the biosystematics of the insect order Embiidina. Part 2. A review of the biology of Embiidina. Occasional Papers of the California Academy of Sciences 149 (2): 1-36.