Tomocerus minor

(Lubbock, 1862)

Tomocerus minor is a in the . It reaches up to 4.5 mm in body length and exhibits a characteristic uniform bluish iridescence. The species has been recorded across a remarkably broad geographic range, spanning from regions to temperate and tropical zones across multiple continents and oceanic islands.

Tomocerus minor by (c) Pete Lypkie, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Pete Lypkie. Used under a CC-BY license.

Collembola. Tomocerus head by Khymyn.O. Used under a CC BY 4.0 license.

Tomocerus minor (36684239901) by Donald Hobern from Copenhagen, Denmark. Used under a CC BY 2.0 license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Tomocerus minor: /toʊˈmɑːsərəs ˈmaɪnɔr/

These audio files are automatically generated. While they are not always 100% accurate, they are a good starting point.

Identification

The combination of bluish iridescent coloration and shorter than the body distinguishes Tomocerus minor from many . Body size up to 4.5 mm provides a useful reference point. Accurate identification to level in Tomocerus typically requires examination of and other microscopic characters not described in available sources.

Images

Appearance

Body length up to 4.5 mm. shorter than the body. displays a uniform bluish iridescence. General body plan typical of the Tomocerus with elongated form.

Distribution

regions, Europe, Western and Central Asia, Sino-Japanese region, Northern and Pacific North America, Hawaii, Caribbean mainland, New Zealand, and the Azores (Faial, Flores, Pico, São Jorge, São Miguel).

More Details

Taxonomic note

The was originally described as Macrotoma minor by Lubbock in 1862. Some sources list an alternative authorship (Islam, S, Alim, A & Hossain, M, 2014) with status as ambiguous synonym, though GBIF and NCBI recognize Lubbock (1862) as the accepted authority.

Research context

Tomocerus minor has been documented as for the Mitostoma chrysomelas, which uses viscoelastic secretions on its to capture .