Everything about Collembola totally explained
Springtails (
Order Collembola) form the largest of the three orders of modern
hexapods (along with the
Protura and
Diplura) that are no longer considered
insects. The three orders are sometimes grouped together in a class called
Entognatha because they've internal
mouthparts, but they don't appear to be more closely related to one another than to insects, which have external mouthparts. Recent genetic studies suggest that Collembola are a separate
evolutionary line from the other
Hexapoda .
Members of Collembola are normally less than 6
mm long, have six or fewer
abdominal segments and possess an eversible tubular
appendage (the
collophore or ventral tube) projecting ventrally from the first abdominal segment. Most species have an abdominal, tail-like appendage, the
furcula, that's folded beneath the body to be used for jumping when the animal is threatened. It is held under tension by a small structure called the
retinaculum and when released, snaps against the substrate, flinging the springtail into the air.
Suborder Arthropleona has an elongated body, while Symphypleona (without sensory fields on the body) and Neelipleona (with sensory fields) have a globular body.
Springtails are
cryptozoa frequently found in
leaf litter and other decaying material , where they're primarily
detritivores and microbivores, and one of the main biological agents responsible for the control and the dissemination of
microorganisms. In sheer numbers, they're reputed to be one of the most abundant of all macroscopic animals, with estimates of 100,000 individuals per cubic meter of topsoil, essentially everywhere on Earth where soil and related habitats (
moss cushions, fallen
wood,
grass tufts,
ant nests) occur; only
nematodes,
crustaceans, and
mites are likely to have global populations of similar magnitude, and each of those groups is of a higher taxonomic rank (nematodes are a
phylum, crustaceans a
subphylum, and mites are a
subclass). Most springtails are small and difficult to see by casual observation, but one species,
Hypogastrura nivicola (the so-called
snow flea), is readily observed on warm winter days when it's active and its dark color contrasts sharply with a background of snow.
Various sources and publications have suggested that some springtails may
parasitize humans, but this is entirely inconsistent with their biology, and no such phenomenon has ever been scientifically confirmed, though it has been documented that the scales or hairs from collembolans can cause irritation when rubbed into the flesh . They can sometimes be abundant indoors in damp places such as bathrooms and basements
(External Link
), and under such circumstances may be found on one's person, but this is only accidental.
Further Information
Get more info on 'Collembola'.
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