One researcher has even collected proturans from the grassy margins of a Chicago freeway. A single proturan species has been reported from Orlando, Florida by Ewing in 1940, Acerentulus floridanus . Undoubtedly, other species, both novel and previously described, will be found in Florida with further investigations of the soil biota. Members of Eosentomoidea possess meso and metathoracic spiracles with a primitive tracheal system while proturans within Acerentomoidea lack these structures. Proturans have small appendages ventral on the first three abdominal segments.
Mouthparts are entognathous and are greatly modified between genera.
The first pair of legs are used as antennae and have many tarsal sensilla and sensory hairs. Genital opening is between the eleventh segment and the telson. Life History Unique among hexapods, Protura exhibit anamorphosis, i.e., the larvae hatch with a few abdominal segments with the number increasing with subsequent moults. The embryology is unknown. All proturans have five distinct stages.