Ecotoxicology
Guides
Allonychiurus
Allonychiurus is a genus of springtails (Collembola) in the family Onychiuridae, established by Yoshii in 1995. The genus includes species that inhabit soil ecosystems, with Allonychiurus kimi being particularly well-studied as an ISO-standardized soil bioindicator for ecotoxicology. Members are wingless and exhibit limited mobility, with some species showing negative phototaxis. The genus has been documented across Arctic, subarctic, and temperate regions including Europe and northeastern Eurasia.
Arrhopalites
springtails
Arrhopalites is a genus of globular springtails (Collembola: Symphypleona) in the family Arrhopalitidae. The genus comprises approximately 40 valid species, with roughly half considered troglobionts—obligate cave-dwelling organisms. Species occur across diverse habitats including cave systems, forest leaf litter, and soil environments, with distribution spanning the Neotropical Region, Asia, Europe, and other regions. The genus is taxonomically significant for phylogenetic studies of Symphypleona, though many aspects of its biology remain understudied.
Brachycentrus americanus
American Grammon
Brachycentrus americanus is a species of humpless casemaker caddisfly in the family Brachycentridae. Larvae construct portable cases and are sensitive to synthetic pyrethroid insecticides, exhibiting case-abandonment behavior upon exposure. The species displays diel periodicity in activity patterns, with predominantly nocturnal filtering behavior. It is most active in July and August in western and midwestern North America.
Chironomus staegeri
Chironomus staegeri is a non-biting midge (Diptera: Chironomidae) characterized by extensive chromosomal inversion polymorphism. Populations exhibit significant genetic differentiation between deep and shallow water habitats in North America, with inversion patterns suggesting possible incipient speciation. The species has been used as a standard test organism in aquatic ecotoxicology studies, particularly for heavy metal toxicity research.
Cricotopus
non-biting midges
Cricotopus is a large and diverse genus of non-biting midges in the family Chironomidae, subfamily Orthocladiinae. Species occupy a wide range of freshwater and estuarine habitats globally, from pristine glacial streams to degraded urban waterways. Some species are specialized stem miners of aquatic plants, including C. lebetis which targets invasive hydrilla. The genus includes species with documented mutualistic relationships with cyanobacteria (Nostoc), as well as species used in biomonitoring and ecotoxicological research.
Folsomia
Folsomia is a genus of elongate-bodied springtails in the family Isotomidae, containing more than 110 described species. Members of this genus are primarily soil-dwelling and are among the most commonly studied Collembola in ecotoxicological research. The genus has a cosmopolitan distribution spanning multiple continents and biomes.
Folsomia candida
Folsomia candida is a small, unpigmented, eyeless springtail species that has become one of the most widely used model organisms in soil ecotoxicology. Native to soil environments but now distributed globally through human-mediated dispersal, this parthenogenetic species reproduces without males and can be easily maintained in laboratory cultures on simple diets. It has been employed for over 40 years as a standard test organism for assessing pesticide and pollutant effects on non-target soil invertebrates, and has also served as a model for studying cold tolerance, circadian rhythms, decomposition processes, and soil fungal interactions.
Gammarus locusta
scud
Gammarus locusta is a marine amphipod crustacean in the family Gammaridae, commonly known as a scud. It inhabits coastal and estuarine environments with a cosmopolitan distribution in European waters. The species has been extensively studied as a model organism for ecotoxicology, particularly regarding responses to ocean acidification, warming, deoxygenation, and pharmaceutical contaminants. Research indicates it possesses the ability to biosynthesize or retain essential long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids, making it of interest for aquaculture applications.
Hyalella
Hyalella is a genus of freshwater amphipods found in the Americas, with species distributed across North, Central, and South America. The genus contains numerous endemic species, particularly in South America, and includes the widely studied H. azteca, which serves as a standard test organism in aquatic toxicology. Members occupy benthic habitats in lakes, streams, and springs, where they function as important components of freshwater food webs.
Hyalella azteca
scud, freshwater scud
Hyalella azteca is a widespread and abundant amphipod crustacean in North America, reaching 3–8 mm in length. It inhabits fresh and brackish waters across a broad geographic range from Central America to the Arctic tree line. The species is a significant food source for waterfowl and serves as a standard test organism in aquatic ecotoxicology and sediment toxicity assessments.
Limnephilus
caddisfly
Limnephilus is the most diverse genus in the family Limnephilidae, containing over 180 described species with broad ecological tolerances and a primarily Holarctic distribution. Species inhabit diverse freshwater habitats including lakes, ponds, slow-moving streams, and high-altitude streams, with some extending to salt marshes and desert environments. Several species are of conservation concern in North America. The genus has been extensively studied as a bioindicator for aquatic pollution and as a model for understanding predator-prey interactions and case-building behavior.
Neocloeon
Neocloeon is a genus of mayflies in the family Baetidae. The species Neocloeon triangulifer has emerged as an important laboratory model organism for aquatic ecotoxicology and physiological studies due to its sensitivity to environmental stressors and ability to complete its life cycle in controlled conditions. The genus is distinguished by parthenogenetic reproduction in at least some populations, a trait that facilitates laboratory culture. Species in this genus inhabit freshwater streams and serve as bioindicators for water quality assessment.
Neomyia
False Greenbottles
Neomyia is a genus of flies in the family Muscidae, commonly known as False Greenbottles. The genus includes species such as Neomyia cornicina, a coprophagous dung fly that inhabits cattle dung and has been extensively studied as a non-target organism affected by veterinary pharmaceuticals in livestock waste. Species in this genus exhibit thermophilous behavior and adapt their spatial and temporal distribution to climatic conditions.
Neomyia cornicina
Small False Greenbottle
Neomyia cornicina is a common coprophagous muscid fly native to the Palaearctic region, with introduced populations in the Nearctic. Adults and larvae feed on cattle dung, contributing to dung decomposition. The species is frequently used as a model organism in ecotoxicological studies examining the effects of veterinary pharmaceuticals on non-target dung fauna.
Orchesella
Orchesella is a genus of springtails (Collembola) in the family Orchesellidae, characterized by subdivided basal antennal segments. The genus comprises approximately 96 species distributed across diverse global habitats from Arctic to tropical regions. Several species, notably O. cincta, have been extensively studied as model organisms for understanding heavy metal tolerance and evolutionary adaptation to polluted environments.
Platynus
Platynus is a genus of ground beetles in the family Carabidae containing over 180 described species. Species in this genus are primarily nocturnal predators with well-developed olfactory capabilities. The genus has been extensively studied in ecotoxicological research due to its role as a beneficial predatory insect in agricultural ecosystems. Several species have been used as model organisms to assess sublethal effects of insecticides on non-target beneficial arthropods.
Proisotoma
springtails
Proisotoma is a genus of elongate-bodied springtails (Collembola) in the family Isotomidae, established by Börner in 1901. The genus comprises at least 50 described species distributed across diverse biomes including tropical, temperate, Antarctic, and desert regions. Species within this genus are primarily soil-dwelling and have been widely used as bioindicator organisms in ecotoxicological studies due to their sensitivity to environmental contaminants.
Proisotoma minuta
Proisotoma minuta is an elongate-bodied springtail in the family Isotomidae. It is found in Europe and has been recorded in agricultural land in Manitoba, Canada. This species is a fungivore and reproduces sexually. It is commonly used in ecotoxicological studies as a test organism for assessing soil contamination by heavy metals and volatile organic compounds.
Simocephalus serrulatus
Simocephalus serrulatus is a freshwater cladoceran crustacean in the family Daphniidae. It is a cosmopolitan zooplankton species found across multiple continents including Australasian, Afrotropical, Nearctic, and Neotropical regions. The species has been used in ecotoxicological studies, particularly research on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) tolerance and population-level variation in life history traits.