Being so small and inconspicuously coloured, while living in shallow burrows in moist sandy soil, they are not generally familiar to non-entomologists.

[2] Correspondingly, in support of their powerful jumping capabilities, the hind tibiae bear movable plates towards their distal ends.

These vary in number according to the genus, and they are called natatory lamellae (meaning literally "swimming plates").

The posterior tibiae also bear articulated spines near their tips, plus spurs longer than the hind tarsi, which may be entirely absent or else are at best vestigial, having only a single segment.

In keeping with the lack of stridulatory adaptations, the fore tibiae do not bear tympanal organs such as those found in many Orthoptera.

Rear wings generally are present, often longer than the abdomen, but their presence in any particular species need not imply that the insect is capable of flight.

Brullé, 1835 The typical habitat of Tridactylidae is moist, sandy soil near water, such as dams, lakes, streams, and sometimes the sea.