Soil-fauna
Guides
Byrrhinae
pill beetles
Byrrhinae is a subfamily of pill beetles within the family Byrrhidae, established by Latreille in 1804. The subfamily comprises approximately 25 genera and at least 160 described species. Members are small, compact beetles with a characteristic rounded, pill-like body form that enables conglobation—rolling into a ball when disturbed. Byrrhinae represents the more species-rich of the two subfamilies in Byrrhidae.
Caeculus
rake-legged mites
Caeculus is a genus of large prostigmatic mites in the family Caeculidae, commonly known as rake-legged mites. The genus contains approximately 20 described species, predominantly distributed in North America. Members are characterized by spiniform setae on their first pair of legs, which function in prey capture. These mites are ambush predators of small arthropods in arid environments.
Calvatomina
Calvatomina is a genus of globular springtails (order Symphypleona) in the family Dicyrtomidae, established by Yosii in 1966. These small hexapods are characterized by their rounded body form and are distributed across tropical and subtropical regions including the Amazon, Andes, Caribbean, and Southeast Asia. The genus belongs to the subfamily Dicyrtominae, a group known for their distinctive body shape and reduced mouthpart structures. Records from iNaturalist indicate active observation and documentation of this genus, with approximately 170 observations contributing to its study.
Calvatomina rufescens
Calvatomina rufescens is a globular springtail species in the family Dicyrtomidae, first described by O.M. Reuter in 1892. It belongs to the order Symphypleona, characterized by a rounded, globular body form distinct from the elongate shape of other springtail groups. The species has been recorded from Europe, the Caribbean mainland, and Macaronesia. Like other dicyrtomids, it inhabits moist terrestrial environments where it contributes to decomposition processes.
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.
Camisia
Camisia is a genus of oribatid mites (Oribatida) in the family Crotoniidae, comprising 34 species and one subspecies worldwide. These large mites (>1 mm) are primarily arboreal, inhabiting tree trunks, forest canopies, and moss-lichen communities on rocky surfaces. The genus exhibits distinctive morphological adaptations including cuticular secretions that bind sand grains to the body surface. Camisia is notable for its complex taxonomic history, having been classified in both Crotoniidae and Camisiidae families by different authorities.
Camisiidae
Camisiidae is a family of oribatid mites in the order Oribatida, containing at least 3 genera and approximately 70 described species. The family includes genera such as Camisia, Austronothrus, Heminothrus, and Platynothrus. Species within this family have been documented from temperate rainforest and wet sclerophyll forest habitats, particularly in southern Australia. Some taxonomic authorities treat Camisiidae as a synonym of Crotoniidae.
Campodea
two-pronged bristletails
Campodea is a genus of small, white, ancestrally wingless hexapods in the order Diplura, commonly called two-pronged bristletails. The genus contains at least 130 described species, with Campodea staphylinus being the most widely known and studied. These blind soil-dwelling arthropods possess remarkable regenerative capacity for lost appendages, including their long antennae. As sister group to Insecta (sensu stricto), Campodea serves as a key reference taxon for understanding early hexapod evolution and the genomic origins of insect innovations.
Campodeidae
slender entrophs
Campodeidae is a family of small, pale, eyeless hexapods in the order Diplura, distinguished by two long, many-segmented cerci at the abdomen tip. The family contains at least 30 genera and approximately 280 described species, distributed across soil and cave habitats worldwide. Members range from 5–12 mm in length, with the largest species being the cave-dwelling Pacificampa daidarabotchi from Japan. Abdominal spiracles are absent. The family exhibits diverse ecological strategies, with many species adapted to subterranean environments showing troglomorphic features such as elongated appendages and enhanced sensory structures.
Campsomerini
mammoth wasps
Campsomerini is a cosmopolitan tribe within the family Scoliidae (Hymenoptera), currently classified under subfamily Scoliinae. Members are commonly known as mammoth wasps. The tribe's higher-level taxonomy has been unstable, having been treated historically as subfamily Campsomerinae before being demoted to tribal status. Recent phylogenetic studies using ultraconserved element (UCE) data support Campsomerini sensu stricto (excluding Colpa and allies) as monophyletic, with the Australasian genus Trisciloa as sister to remaining members.
Carabodoidea
Carabodoidea is a superfamily of oribatid mites within the order Sarcoptiformes. These mites are part of the diverse soil microarthropod community, contributing to decomposition processes. The group was established by Koch in 1843 and is classified within the infraorder Brachypylina. Members are characterized by certain morphological features of the legs and body structure that distinguish them from other oribatid superfamilies.
Carebara
Marauder Ants, Carebara Thief Ants
Carebara is a large genus of myrmicine ants comprising over 200 species distributed worldwide in tropical and Afrotropical regions. These ants are among the smallest known, with workers often barely visible to the naked eye. The genus exhibits remarkable worker polymorphism, including specialized soldier castes with phragmotic (door-blocking) head shapes in some African species. Queens are notably much larger than workers, creating one of the most extreme size dimorphisms in ants. Many species are cryptic inhabitants of soil and leaf litter, with poorly known biology.
Cedius spinosus
Cedius spinosus is a small rove beetle (family Staphylinidae) in the subfamily Pselaphinae, a group commonly known as ant-loving beetles. The species is native to North America. Pselaphinae beetles are typically minute, with reduced elytra and compact bodies adapted for life in soil litter and ant colonies.
Ceratophysella succinea
Ceratophysella succinea is a species of springtail in the family Hypogastruridae. It belongs to the order Poduromorpha, a group of soil-dwelling springtails characterized by their compact body form. The species has been recorded across a broad geographic range including Arctic, European, Mediterranean, Caribbean, and Australian regions.
Cheirotoma
Cheirotoma is a genus of springtails in the family Isotomidae, established by Bagnall in 1949. Members of this genus are small hexapods found in Pacific North American regions. As part of the diverse Collembola fauna, these organisms contribute to soil ecosystem processes. The genus remains poorly documented with limited published research.
Clypeosoma
Clypeosoma is a genus of mites in the family Smarididae, order Trombidiformes. Smarididae are predatory mites commonly known as velvet mites due to their dense setae. The genus is poorly documented with minimal published research and only one observation recorded on iNaturalist. Its members are likely active predators in soil and leaf litter habitats.
Collembola
springtails
Collembola (springtails) are minute hexapods, traditionally grouped with insects but now recognized as a distinct class of non-insect hexapods. They are among the most abundant soil arthropods globally, with estimates of 200–1,800 individuals per cubic decimeter of forest soil. Most species measure 1–3 mm, though some reach 6 mm and the largest known species attains 17 mm. They occupy diverse habitats including soil, leaf litter, caves, rodent burrows, intertidal zones, ant and termite nests, freshwater surfaces, and snow fields. The group is defined by several unique morphological features: a ventral collophore on the first abdominal segment, a furcula (springing organ) on the third or fourth abdominal segment in most species, internal mouthparts (entognathy), and fused tibio-tarsal leg segments. They exhibit simple metamorphosis and continue molting throughout adult life, up to 50 times.
Cordioniscus
Cordioniscus is a genus of small terrestrial isopods (woodlice) in the family Styloniscidae. The genus contains approximately 18 described species. Members are classified within the suborder Oniscidea, the group containing all fully terrestrial isopods.
Corixidea
jumping soil bugs
Corixidea is a genus of small true bugs in the family Schizopteridae, commonly referred to as jumping soil bugs. The genus was established by Reuter in 1891 and contains at least three described species: C. crassa, C. lunigera, and C. major. These insects belong to the infraorder Dipsocoromorpha, a group of minute predatory or cryptozoic bugs associated with soil and leaf litter habitats. The genus is characterized by adaptations for jumping locomotion, though specific morphological details remain poorly documented in accessible literature.
Cosmochthoniidae
Cosmochthoniidae is a family of oribatid mites in the superfamily Cosmochthonioidea, established by Grandjean in 1947. The family comprises approximately 6 genera and at least 40 described species, with Cosmochthonius being the most species-rich and widely studied genus. Members of this family are distributed across Mediterranean regions, parts of the former Soviet Union including Ukraine and Tajikistan, and northern Europe. The family belongs to the ancient mite group Enarthronota, characterized by primitive morphological features.
Cosmochthonius
Cosmochthonius is a genus of oribatid mites (Oribatida: Cosmochthoniidae) established by Berlese in 1910. The genus comprises at least eleven species distributed across the Mediterranean basin and parts of the former Soviet Union. Species exhibit a split distribution pattern, with five species occurring in both western and eastern Mediterranean regions while six species are endemic to the eastern Mediterranean.
Crosbyella distincta
armoured harvestman
Crosbyella distincta is a species of armoured harvestman described by Goodnight & Goodnight in 1942. It belongs to the family Phalangodidae, a group of small to medium-sized harvestmen characterized by their heavily armored bodies. The species is known from North America. Armoured harvestmen in this family are typically found in leaf litter and soil habitats where they function as predators and scavengers.
Cryptops
cave centipedes
Cryptops is a genus of centipedes in the family Cryptopidae, commonly referred to as cave centipedes. The genus has a worldwide distribution with numerous species documented across Europe, Asia, and other regions. Some species exhibit troglobitic adaptations, including Cryptops speleorex from Romania's Movile Cave, which has evolved in isolation for millions of years in a chemosynthetic ecosystem. DNA barcoding studies have revealed greater species diversity than previously recognized, with cryptic species and large genetic distances between morphologically similar taxa.
Cunaxidae
cunaxid mites, snout mites
Cunaxidae is a family of predatory mites in the order Trombidiformes, commonly known as snout mites due to their prominent gnathosoma. The family contains at least 20 genera and over 390 described species, with some estimates exceeding 450 species across 32 genera. These mites occupy diverse terrestrial habitats worldwide except Antarctica, where they function as opportunistic predators of small arthropods and other microfauna. They exhibit two distinct foraging strategies: ambush predation and active cursorial hunting.
Cunaxoidinae
Cunaxoidinae is a subfamily of predatory mites in the family Cunaxidae (Acari: Prostigmata). The Philippine fauna comprises 21 species. Members occupy diverse microhabitats including leaf litter, bark, organic debris, ant and termite nests, and coconut foliage. The subfamily includes genera such as Lupaeus and Scutopalus.
Cylindrarctus crinifer
Cylindrarctus crinifer is a small ant-loving beetle in the family Staphylinidae, subfamily Pselaphinae. The species is known from scattered records across the eastern and central United States. Like other members of the tribe Tychini, it is associated with ant colonies. Published information on its biology remains limited.
Cylindroiulus
Cylindroiulus is a genus of cylindrical millipedes in the family Julidae, established by Verhoeff in 1894. Species in this genus are characterized by their smooth, rounded bodies and are primarily distributed across Europe. The genus includes notable species such as Cylindroiulus punctatus, which has been sequenced for genomic studies, and Cylindroiulus nitidus, which has been studied for its life-history dynamics in woodland habitats. Members are typically found in forest floor environments, including decaying wood and soil.
Cylisticus
Cylisticus is a genus of woodlice (terrestrial isopods) in the family Cylisticidae, containing at least 70 described species. These soil-dwelling crustaceans are found in tropical and temperate regions, where they inhabit the upper soil layers. At least one species, C. convexus, has been studied as a tropical soil decomposer with limited vertical dispersal ability. The genus is part of the diverse oniscidean fauna contributing to litter breakdown and nutrient cycling.
Cyta
snout mites
Cyta is a genus of snout mites in the family Bdellidae, comprising approximately 15 described species. These mites belong to the order Trombidiformes and are characterized by their distinctive elongated snout-like mouthparts. They are predatory mites found in various terrestrial habitats across northern Europe and the British Isles.
Dactyloscirus
Dactyloscirus is a genus of predatory mites in the family Cunaxidae, first described by Berlese in 1916. These mites belong to the order Trombidiformes, a diverse group of arachnids commonly known as prostigmatid mites. Members of this genus are characterized by their distinctive leg morphology, with the genus name referencing finger-like or dactylous structures. Cunaxid mites, including Dactyloscirus, are primarily known as predators of small arthropods and are found in soil and litter habitats.
Dagamaea
Dagamaea is a genus of springtails in the family Isotomidae, subfamily Anurophorinae. It was established by R. Yosii in 1965. The genus has been recorded from disjunct localities across the Caribbean, North America, Central Australia, and the Pacific coast of North America. Like other isotomids, members of this genus are small, soil-dwelling hexapods with a furcula (springing organ) for escape locomotion.
Damaeidae
Damaeidae is a family of oribatid mites (order Sarcoptiformes) comprising approximately 20 genera distributed across the Northern Hemisphere. Members are primarily fungivorous and inhabit decomposing organic matter including plant litter, mosses, decaying wood, and soil layers. Several species exhibit troglophilic tendencies, occurring in subterranean habitats such as caves and mountain scree systems. The family has undergone extensive taxonomic revision, with historically recognized families Belbidae, Belbodamaeidae, and Hungarobelbidae now synonymized under Damaeidae.
Damaeoidea
Damaeoidea is a superfamily of oribatid mites (beetle mites) within the order Sarcoptiformes. First described by Berlese in 1896, this group comprises several families of soil-dwelling mites that play important roles in decomposition and nutrient cycling. The superfamily is part of the diverse assemblage of Brachypylina mites, one of the most species-rich lineages of oribatids.
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.
Desmonus
Desmonus is a genus of flat-backed millipedes in the family Sphaeriodesmidae, first described by Cook in 1898. The genus contains approximately 10 described species distributed in the southeastern United States. Members of this genus belong to the order Polydesmida, characterized by their flattened body form and lateral extensions of the exoskeleton.
Desoria canadensis
Desoria canadensis is a species of springtail in the family Isotomidae, described by Brown in 1932. This small hexapod belongs to the class Collembola, a group of wingless arthropods commonly found in soil and leaf litter. The species occurs in Arctic, subarctic, and northern North American regions. As with most springtails, it likely plays a role in decomposition and nutrient cycling in soil ecosystems.
Desoria hoodensis
Desoria hoodensis is a species of springtail described in 1998 by K. Christiansen and P. Bellinger. It belongs to the family Isotomidae, a large group of elongate-bodied springtails. The species is known from the Pacific North American region. Like other members of Desoria, it is a soil-dwelling microarthropod.
Desoria trispinata
Desoria trispinata is a species of springtail in the family Isotomidae. It was first described from the Azores archipelago in the North Atlantic Ocean. The species belongs to a genus of elongate-bodied springtails commonly found in soil and leaf litter habitats. Limited published information exists on its biology.
Deutonura
Deutonura is a genus of springtails (Collembola) in the family Neanuridae, established by Cassagnau in 1979. The genus contains at least 40 described species, distributed across Arctic, subarctic, and temperate regions of Europe, North America, and Macaronesia. As members of Poduromorpha, these soil-dwelling hexapods are part of the diverse springtail fauna that contributes to decomposition processes.
Dicellurata
Forcepstails
Dicellurata is a suborder of Diplura, commonly called forcepstails, characterized by the presence of paired, forceps-like cerci at the posterior end. The group comprises at least 4 families and more than 170 described species. Members are small, eyeless hexapods that inhabit soil and leaf litter environments.
Dicyrtomina
globular springtails
Dicyrtomina is a genus of globular springtails (order Symphypleona) characterized by a rounded, compact body form distinct from elongate springtail lineages. Members exhibit latch-mediated spring-actuated (LaMSA) jumping powered by the furca, a modified fourth abdominal segment. The genus includes species such as D. minuta, which has been extensively studied for its extraordinary jumping kinematics, and D. saundersi, which displays neustonic (surface-floating) behavior. Species occur primarily in moist leaf litter habitats across Europe, North America, and other regions, with some populations adapted to aquatic surface microlayer environments.
Dicyrtominae
globular springtails
Dicyrtominae is a subfamily of globular springtails within the family Dicyrtomidae, established by Richards in 1968. Members exhibit the characteristic rounded, globular body form typical of the order Symphypleona. The subfamily contains at least three genera—Dicyrtoma, Dicyrtomina, and Calvatomina—with approximately 30 described species. These springtails are among the most frequently observed and photographed springtails due to their relatively large size and conspicuous coloration.
Digamasellus
Digamasellus is a genus of mesostigmatid mites in the family Digamasellidae, established by Berlese in 1905. The genus contains at least three described species: D. australis, D. punctum, and D. variabilis. Members of this genus are part of the diverse soil-dwelling mesostigmatid mite fauna. Specific biological details for most species remain poorly documented.
Dinychidae
Dinychidae is a family of mites in the order Mesostigmata, belonging to the suborder Monogynaspida and infraorder Uropodina. The family comprises approximately 80 described species across 13 genera, with the genus Dinychus being the most species-rich. These mites are characterized by features typical of uropodine mites, including a generally rounded body form and adaptations for life in soil and decomposing organic matter. Species have been documented from Europe, Asia, and other regions, with records from countries including Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.
Dipara
Dipara is a genus of minute parasitoid wasps in the family Diparidae (Chalcidoidea), first described by Walker in 1833. The genus exhibits pronounced sexual dimorphism: females are typically wingless (apterous) or short-winged (brachypterous) with clavate antennae, while males are fully winged (macropterous) with filiform antennae. Species are collected primarily from leaf litter and soil habitats using yellow pan traps. Despite flightless females suggesting limited dispersal, some species show minimal phylogeographic structure across broad geographic ranges.
Diplopoda
millipedes
Millipedes (Diplopoda) are a class of myriapod arthropods characterized by having two pairs of jointed legs on most body segments, a result of segmental fusion during their evolutionary history over 400 million years ago. They are primarily detritivores that play critical roles in ecosystem nutrient cycling through decomposition of organic matter. The class contains approximately 12,000 described species across 16 extant orders, with body forms ranging from elongated cylindrical forms to short, pill-like species capable of conglobation (rolling into a defensive ball).
Diplura
Two-pronged Bristletails
Diplura is an order of small, wingless, eyeless hexapods within the class Entognatha, characterized by a distinctive pair of caudal appendages (cerci) that give them their common name "two-pronged bristletails." The group comprises approximately 800 described species worldwide, ranging from 2 to 50 mm in length, with some species reaching up to 8 cm. They inhabit moist soil, leaf litter, humus, and caves across all continents except Antarctica. Diplurans possess concealed mouthparts (entognathous), long bead-like antennae, and the ability to autotomize their cerci when threatened.
Drepanura
springtails
Drepanura is a genus of springtails (Collembola) in the family Entomobryidae, first described by Schött in 1891. It belongs to the order Entomobryomorpha, one of the most diverse groups of Collembola. The genus has been recorded across multiple continents including Europe, Africa, Australia, and the Caribbean, suggesting broad geographic distribution. As with other entomobryid springtails, members of this genus are likely soil-dwelling microarthropods, though specific ecological details remain poorly documented.
Drepanura californica
Drepanura californica is a species of springtail (Collembola) in the family Entomobryidae. It was described by H. Schött in 1891 and is known from California and other Pacific North American regions. The genus Drepanura is characterized by distinctive morphological features including a furcula with reduced dentes. As an entomobryid springtail, it inhabits soil and leaf litter environments where it contributes to decomposition processes.