| Uniramia |
| --Centipedes |
| --Hexapoda 1 (insects) |
| --Hexapoda 2 (insects) |
| --Insect orders |
| ----Lepidoptera (butterflies, moths) |
| ----Ephemeroptera (mayflies) |
| ----Hemiptera (bugs, cicadas) |
| ----Hymenoptera (bees, ants, wasps & saw flies) |
| ------Bumblebees |
| ----Coleoptera (beetles) |
| ----Dictyoptera (mantids, cockroaches) |
| ----Diptera (true flies) |
| ----Neuroptera (lacewings, ant lions) |
| ----Orthoptera (crickets, locusts) |
| ----Thysanura (bristletails, silver fish) |
| ----Strepsiptera (stylops) |
| ----Thysanoptera (thrips) |
| ----Odonata (dragonflies, damselflies) |
| ----Trichoptera (caddis flies) |
| ----Siphonaptera (fleas) |
| ----Isoptera (termites) |
| ----Phasmida (stick & leaf insects) |
| ----Dermaptera (earwigs) |
| ----Anoplura/Sipunculata (sucking lice) |
| ----Mallophaga (biting lice, bird lice) |
| ----Psocoptera (book lice) |
| ----Mecoptera (scorpion flies) |
| ----Collembola (springtail) |
| ----Embioptera (web spinners) |
| ----Plecoptera (stone flies) |
| ----Diplura (bristletails) |
| ----Protura |
| ----Zoraptera |
|
| Fast
facts about Collembola (springtails) ) |
Small, short bodied, often covered with scales.
Biting mouthparts.
Short antennae.
Small or no eyes.
Terminal forked springing organ (furcula) folded up under the body when at rest.
Found mostly in damp places.
About 6500 species worldwide, over 300 in British Isles.
|
|
The springtails range in length from 2 - 12 mm. Their distinguishing feature
is the furcula (forked jumping organ, see left) on the last segment, and retaining hook
on the underside of the third abdominal segment; the quick release of this
allows the animal to jump great distances. Springtails are the most widely
distributed animal on earth being found from Arctic to Antarctic, and they are
the most abundant six-legged creature on earth. |
| They come in a variety of colours - yellow, pink, orange, green, brown and violet. Those that live deeper in the soil are usually light coloured or white. These feed mainly on fungus hyphae and organic debris. Recent work at a molecular
level has shown that springtails are more closely related to the crustaceans such as shrimps and copepods. This just points out how taxonomy
is neverending. They feed mainly on fungi and algae and are very sensitive to dryness. The glue peg is capable of absorbing water and allows them to regulate their water balance, and also to grip on to smooth surfaces. In the drawing above the furcula, or spring is shown open, the dotted lines shows the closed position. |
|
![[]](http://m3.moostik.net/img/?pseudo=bumblebeepages&cpt=ICollembola&option=invisible)