Earwigs are easily distinguished from all other orders of insects by the presence of characteristic, forceps-like cerci at the back of their elongated abdomen. Diplurans have similar appendages, but differ by the lack of eyes, paired appendages under all or most of the abdominal segments and one-segmented tarsi (three segments in earwigs).
Taxonomic information on the Dermaptera can be found at the Dermaptera Species File (http://dermaptera.speciesfile.org/HomePage/Dermaptera/HomePage.aspx).