Cyphoderus similis is an elongate-bodied springtail in the Paronellidae, described by J.W. Folsom in 1927. It is myrmecophilic and has been documented in phoretic association with the red imported fire ant (Solenopsis invicta). The species occurs across multiple insular and coastal regions including the Caribbean, Hawaii, Macaronesia, and the Amazon basin.
Distribution
Recorded from Amazon region, Antillean & South Florida, Caribbean mainland, Hawaiian Islands, and Macaronesian Islands.
Host Associations
- Solenopsis invicta - phoresisMyrmecophilic association; observed using fire ants for transport
Behavior
Myrmecophilic; engages in phoresis with fire ants.