Microarthropod
Guides
Allonychiurus flavescens
Allonychiurus flavescens is a species of springtail in the family Onychiuridae. It is a small, soil-dwelling hexapod found in Pacific North American and Sino-Japanese regions. As an euedaphic collembolan, it lives deep within soil profiles and lacks a furcula (springing organ) typical of surface-dwelling springtails. The species was described by Kinoshita in 1916.
Allopauropus
Allopauropus is a genus of minute soil-dwelling myriapods in the class Pauropoda. These organisms belong to the order Tetramerocerata, characterized by four-segmented antennae. Pauropods are among the smallest myriapods, generally measuring under 2 mm in length, and are poorly studied due to their cryptic lifestyle in soil and leaf litter. The genus has been recorded from scattered localities across Europe, the Middle East, and South Asia.
Anillinus chilhowee
Anillinus chilhowee is a small ground beetle (Carabidae) in the tribe Bembidiini, described by Sokolov in 2011. It belongs to the genus Anillinus, a group of minute, eyeless or nearly eyeless beetles adapted to subterranean or deep soil habitats. The species epithet references the Chilhowee region, likely indicating its type locality in the southeastern United States.
Ballistura tuberculata
Ballistura tuberculata is a species of springtail in the family Isotomidae, described by J. Stach in 1947. It belongs to the order Entomobryomorpha, one of the major lineages of Collembola. The specific epithet 'tuberculata' suggests the presence of tubercle-like structures, though detailed morphological descriptions remain limited in available literature.
Calx
Calx is a genus of springtails (Collembola) in the family Entomobryidae, first described by Kenneth Christiansen in 1958. The genus belongs to the subfamily Entomobryinae and tribe Entomobryini. Members of this genus are small, wingless hexapods with the characteristic furcula (springing organ) that defines the order. The genus has been recorded across multiple biogeographic regions including North America, the Caribbean, the Andes, and India.
Carcinocephalus
Carcinocephalus is a genus of dwarf spiders (Linyphiidae: Erigoninae) characterized by distinctive cephalic modifications. These minute sheet-web building spiders are among the smallest arachnids, typically measuring only a few millimeters in length. The genus name refers to the crab-like or projecting head structure found in males. Members of this genus construct flat, sheet-like webs and are generally associated with ground-level or low vegetation habitats.
Decapauropus lambertoni
Decapauropus lambertoni is a species of minute myriapod in the class Pauropoda, described by Remy in 1956. Pauropods are small, soft-bodied soil-dwelling arthropods rarely encountered due to their cryptic lifestyle. The genus Decapauropus is characterized by having ten legs (five pairs) in adults, distinguishing it from the more common eight-legged (four-paired) pauropods. This species has been recorded across disjunct regions including Africa, South America, and Southern Asia, suggesting either broad distribution or potential cryptic diversity requiring taxonomic revision.
Deltopauropus
Deltopauropus is a genus of minute myriapods in the family Brachypauropodidae, established by MacSwain and Lanham in 1948. Pauropods in this genus are among the smallest terrestrial arthropods, inhabiting soil and leaf litter. As members of the order Tetramerocerata, they possess four antennal segments. The genus is rarely encountered due to its cryptic lifestyle and minute size.
Eremaeoidea
Eremaeoidea is a superfamily of oribatid mites (Acari: Oribatida) established by Oudemans in 1900. Recent integrative taxonomic studies have revealed substantial cryptic diversity within this group, particularly in the genus Caleremaeus. What was long considered a single widespread species, C. monilipes, has been demonstrated to comprise at least five distinct species based on combined genetic, ecological, and morphological evidence. These mites are small, soil-dwelling microarthropods with varied habitat specializations ranging from strict deadwood association to alpine moss communities.
Ereynetes
Ereynetes is a genus of mites in the family Ereynetidae, order Trombidiformes. These prostigmatic mites are part of the diverse soil-dwelling microarthropod fauna. The genus was established by Berlese in 1883. Records indicate presence in Norway and Sweden, though detailed ecological studies remain limited.
Eurypauropus
Eurypauropus is a genus of minute myriapods in the class Pauropoda, family Eurypauropodidae. Members are soil-dwelling arthropods characterized by a flattened body with strongly sclerotized, coarsely ornamented tergites. The genus has been recorded from Europe, Japan, and recently from China. These organisms are typically extracted from forest soil and litter samples using Berlese-Tullgren funnels.
Garypoidea
false scorpions
Garypoidea is a superfamily of pseudoscorpions (order Pseudoscorpiones) established by Simon in 1879. It comprises seven families and is classified within the infraorder Iocheirata. Members are small, arachnid predators characterized by their scorpion-like pincers and flattened bodies, lacking the stinging tail of true scorpions.
Gozmanyina
Gozmanyina is a genus of oribatid mites in the family Cosmochthoniidae, established by Balogh & Mahunka in 1983. The genus contains at least three described species: G. golosovae, G. majestus, and G. pehuen. These mites belong to the diverse group of soil-dwelling microarthropods commonly known as moss mites or beetle mites.
Hesperentomon
Hesperentomon is a genus of minute, soil-dwelling proturans established by Price in 1960. The genus comprises at least 14 described species distributed primarily across Asia, including China, Japan, and Central Asian regions. As members of the family Hesperentomidae, these hexapods lack eyes and antennae, and possess unique abdominal appendages characteristic of the class Protura. Most species have been described since the 1980s, reflecting ongoing taxonomic work on this understudied group.
Hesperentomon macswaini
Hesperentomon macswaini is a species of proturan described by Price in 1960. Proturans are minute, wingless hexapods that inhabit soil and leaf litter environments. This species belongs to the family Hesperentomidae and has been documented from North America. Like other proturans, it likely lives in concealed soil habitats and feeds on fungal hyphae and decaying organic matter, though specific biological details for this species remain poorly documented.
Hubbardia belkini
Belkin's Short-tailed Whipscorpion
Hubbardia belkini is a species of short-tailed whipscorpion in the family Hubbardiidae. It is one of several species in the genus Hubbardia, which is endemic to the southwestern United States and Mexico. The species was described in 1957 and is known from limited collection records. Short-tailed whipscorpions are small, cryptic arachnids that inhabit moist microhabitats in arid and semi-arid regions.
Islandiana
dwarf spiders, money spiders
Islandiana is a genus of minute sheet-web spiders (family Linyphiidae, subfamily Erigoninae) first described by J. Braendegaard in 1932. The genus currently comprises 15 described species, with the majority distributed across North America. Several species exhibit obligate cave-dwelling habits, making the genus notable among subterranean spider faunas. The most recently described species, Islandiana lewisi, was identified in 2018 from a single cave in southern Indiana after a 30-year gap in new species descriptions for the genus.
Joshuella
Joshuella is a genus of oribatid mites in the family Gymnodamaeidae, first described by Wallwork in 1972. These mites belong to the diverse group of soil-dwelling microarthropods commonly known as moss mites or beetle mites. The genus is part of the superfamily Gymnodamaeoidea, a group characterized by certain morphological reductions in the adult stage. Records of this genus are sparse, with limited observational data available.
Lucoppia
Lucoppia is a genus of oribatid mites in the family Oribatulidae, established by Berlese in 1908. These mites belong to the diverse group of soil-dwelling microarthropods commonly known as moss mites or beetle mites. As oribatids, they are part of the decomposer community in terrestrial ecosystems. The genus is poorly documented in scientific literature, with limited species-level descriptions and ecological studies available.
Lucoppia burrowsii
Lucoppia burrowsii is a species of oribatid mite in the family Oppioidea. It was described by Mahunka in 1992 from specimens collected in South Africa. Oribatid mites in this genus are generally small, slow-moving decomposers found in soil and leaf litter. The species is known from limited material and has not been extensively studied.
Megalothorax minimus
Megalothorax minimus is a minute springtail species in the family Neelidae, first described by V. Willem in 1900. It belongs to the order Neelipleona, a small group of highly reduced, globular springtails. The species has been recorded across a broad geographic range including Europe, North America, and several remote regions including the Antarctic and Subantarctic. Its wide distribution suggests either cryptic diversity or remarkable dispersal capabilities for such a small organism.
Mesaphorura
Mesaphorura is a genus of springtails in the family Tullbergiidae, first described by Börner in 1901. Members of this genus are small, soil-dwelling hexapods characterized by reduced or absent eyes and elongated body forms. They are distributed across multiple continents including Antarctica, South America, Africa, and North America, indicating broad ecological tolerance. The genus is taxonomically placed within the subfamily Mesaphorurinae.
Morulina multatuberculata
Morulina multatuberculata is a species of springtail in the family Neanuridae, described by Coleman in 1941. It belongs to the order Poduromorpha, a group of ground-dwelling springtails. The species epithet 'multatuberculata' suggests a tuberculate body surface, a characteristic feature of the genus Morulina.
Morulodes setosus
Morulodes setosus is a species of springtail in the family Neanuridae, described by Canby in 1926. It belongs to the order Poduromorpha, one of the three main lineages of Collembola. The species epithet 'setosus' refers to the presence of setae (bristle-like hairs). As a member of the tribe Morulodini, it shares characteristics with other neanurid springtails that exhibit distinctive body ornamentation and reduced furcula. The genus Morulodes is part of the diverse soil-dwelling microarthropod fauna of North America.
Neelus murinus
Neelus murinus is a species of springtail in the family Neelidae, first described by J.W. Folsom in 1896. It belongs to the order Neelipleona, one of the four recognized orders of Collembola. The species has been documented from island localities in the Azores (Pico, São Jorge, São Miguel, Terceira) and from the Antillean region and southern Florida. As a member of the Neelidae, it is among the smallest springtails, characterized by reduced body size and simplified morphology.
Onychiurinae
Onychiurinae is a subfamily of springtails (Collembola) in the family Onychiuridae, established by Börner in 1901. Members are characterized by reduced or absent eyes and the presence of a ventral tube (collophore) with distinct structures. The subfamily is primarily soil-dwelling and includes numerous genera distributed across temperate regions. Many species are blind and adapted to subterranean or deep soil habitats.
Oribotritia
Oribotritia is a genus of oribatid mites (also known as beetle mites or moss mites) in the family Oribotritiidae. The genus was established by Jacot in 1924 and contains at least three described species. Oribatid mites in this group are soil-dwelling microarthropods that contribute to decomposition processes.
Palpigradi
microwhip scorpion, palpigrade, micro whipscorpion
Palpigradi is an order of minute arachnids, commonly called microwhip scorpions or palpigrades. They are the sister group to Solifugae (camel spiders), measuring 1–3 mm in length. These pale, thin-bodied arachnids inhabit wet tropical and subtropical soils worldwide, living interstitially in moist microhabitats under stones and in caves. They possess a distinctive multi-segmented flagellum that may comprise half the body length. The order contains two families, Prokoeneniidae and Eukoeneniidae, distinguished by the presence or absence of ventral respiratory sacs.
Pauropoda
pauropodans, pauropods
Pauropoda is a class of minute, soft-bodied myriapods comprising approximately 900 species across twelve families worldwide. These animals are characterized by reduced leg numbers compared to other myriapods—most adults possess only nine pairs of legs—and distinctive branching antennae. They inhabit soil and leaf litter environments globally, with documented occurrences from tropical regions to subantarctic islands. Pauropods are gonochoric and exhibit hemianamorphosis, adding leg pairs through successive molts until reaching adult form.
Pauropus huxleyi
Pauropus huxleyi is a species of minute myriapod in the class Pauropoda, described by Lubbock in 1867. Pauropods are small, soft-bodied arthropods typically less than 2 mm in length, characterized by 9–11 pairs of legs and distinctive branched antennae. The species name honors Thomas Henry Huxley, the prominent 19th-century biologist and supporter of Darwin's theory of evolution. P. huxleyi has been recorded across multiple continents including Australia, Europe, and North America.
Polypauropus
Polypauropus is a genus of minute soil-dwelling myriapods in the class Pauropoda, established by Remy in 1932. Pauropods are among the smallest myriapods, rarely exceeding 2 mm in length, and are characterized by their branched antennae and reduced body segmentation. The genus belongs to the family Polypauropodidae, which is distinguished by specific morphological features of the antennae and trunk segments. Species within this genus are found in Mediterranean and South Asian regions.
Polyxenidae
pincushion millipedes, bristly millipedes
Polyxenidae is a family of small millipedes in the subclass Penicillata, characterized by distinctive bundles of bristles (setae) at the posterior end. Adults range from 1.2–4.2 mm in length and possess 13 pairs of legs with 10 tergites anterior to the telson. The family contains approximately 109 species across 23 genera, distributed worldwide except Antarctica. Males produce spermatophores delivered via specialized pores on leg pairs 6–11.
Protura
proturans, coneheads
Protura are minute soil-dwelling hexapods, 0.6–1.5 mm in length, distinguished by their lack of eyes, wings, and antennae. They were first discovered in 1907 and were previously regarded as insects but are now classified as an order within the class Entognatha. Unique among hexapods, proturans exhibit anamorphic development, adding abdominal segments post-embryonically through successive molts until reaching the adult complement of 12 segments. Approximately 800 species have been described across seven families, with nearly 300 species in the single genus Eosentomon.
Pseudosinella violenta
Pseudosinella violenta is a species of slender springtail first described by Folsom in 1924. It belongs to the family Entomobryidae, a group characterized by elongated bodies and well-developed furcula. The species has been recorded across multiple North American regions including the Antilles, southern Florida, Caribbean mainland, and Pacific and southern North American areas. As with most members of its genus, it likely inhabits soil and leaf litter microhabitats.
Ptenothrix atra
Ptenothrix atra is a species of globular springtail in the family Dicyrtomidae. It is one of the oldest described springtail species, originally described by Linnaeus in 1758. The species has a broad distribution spanning Europe, the Mediterranean, North America, and Caribbean regions. As a member of the Symphypleona, it possesses a characteristic globular body form distinct from the more elongate Entomobryomorpha springtails.
Salina beta
Salina beta is a species of springtail (Collembola) in the family Paronellidae, described by Christiansen and Bellinger in 1980. Springtails in this family are characterized by elongate body forms and are part of the diverse soil-dwelling microarthropod fauna. The genus Salina contains multiple species distributed across various regions, though specific ecological details for S. beta remain poorly documented in available literature.
Sminthurus fitchi
Sminthurus fitchi is a species of globular springtail in the family Sminthuridae. It belongs to the order Symphypleona, characterized by a rounded body form distinct from the more elongate springtails in other orders. The species was described by J.W. Folsom in 1896. Like other members of its genus, it possesses a furcula, the springing organ that gives Collembola their common name.
Styletoentomon
Styletoentomon is a genus of minute, soil-dwelling proturans in the family Eosentomidae. The genus was established by Copeland in 1978 and contains two described species: S. rostratum and S. styletum. Proturans in this genus lack antennae and eyes, and possess distinctive mouthparts adapted for feeding on fungal hyphae and decaying organic matter in soil and leaf litter habitats.
Tapinellinae
Tapinellinae is a subfamily of small, wingless insects within the family Pachytroctidae (order Psocodea). These minute hexapods are part of the diverse assemblage of barklice and booklice relatives, though specific biological details remain poorly documented. The subfamily was established by Enderlein in 1908 and contains genera characterized by particular morphological features of the head and mouthparts. Members are found in association with decaying organic matter in forest habitats.
Vertagopus pseudocinereus
Vertagopus pseudocinereus is a species of elongate springtail in the family Isotomidae, described from Arctic and northern temperate regions. It belongs to the order Entomobryomorpha, characterized by relatively long antennae and a slender body form compared to the more compact Poduromorpha. The species has been recorded across circumpolar and northern montane regions.
Zerconidae
Zerconidae is a family of mesostigmatid mites found primarily in soil and litter habitats across the Northern Hemisphere. The family includes approximately 20 genera and numerous species, with documented occurrences in North America, Europe, Turkey, and other regions. These mites have been collected from diverse habitats including boreal forests, temperate woodlands, reforested areas, felled sites, and forest canopies. Several genera are recognized, including Zercon, Prozercon, Mixozercon, Boreozercon, and Halozercon.