Soil-fauna
Guides
Oxypoda acuminata
Oxypoda acuminata is a species of rove beetle in the family Staphylinidae, subfamily Aleocharinae. It is a small, inconspicuous beetle with a Palearctic distribution, recorded across much of Europe and extending into Russia and parts of the Caucasus. The species is one of many in the large genus Oxypoda, which contains over 300 described species. Like other aleocharine rove beetles, it is likely associated with decaying organic matter and soil habitats, though specific ecological details remain poorly documented.
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.
Paraphanolophus
Paraphanolophus is a genus of erythraeid mites in the family Erythraeidae, first described by Smiley in 1968. Members of this genus are predatory mites belonging to the superfamily Erythraeoidea. The genus is characterized by specific morphological modifications of the palpal femur that distinguish it from related genera such as Phanolophus. As with other erythraeid mites, species in this genus are likely active predators in soil and leaf litter habitats, though detailed biological studies remain limited.
Parasitidae
predatory mites, bee mites, beetle mites
Parasitidae is a family of predatory mites in the order Mesostigmata, representing the sole family in the superfamily Parasitoidea. These mites are relatively large for their group, often appearing yellowish to dark brown in color. The family has worldwide distribution and contains approximately 400 species across 29 genera organized into two subfamilies: Pergamasinae (soil-dwelling, non-phoretic) and Parasitinae (nest-dwelling, phoretic deutonymphs). Members prey on diverse microarthropods and nematodes, with individual species typically exhibiting narrower prey ranges than the family as a whole.
Parasitina
Parasitina is a suborder of predatory mites within the order Mesostigmata, characterized by relatively large body size for mites and typically yellowish to dark brown coloration. Members are free-living predators that actively hunt microarthropods and nematodes in soil and litter habitats. The suborder includes the family Parasitidae, which contains approximately 400 species across 29 genera in two subfamilies. Spermatogenesis involves complex cytoskeletal reorganization with distinct roles for F-actin and tubulin in nuclear shaping, acrosome formation, and flagellar development.
Parholaspididae
Parholaspididae is a family of free-living predatory mites in the order Mesostigmata, containing 14 genera and approximately 163 described species. Members are distributed worldwide and occupy diverse terrestrial microhabitats. The family was established by Evans in 1956 and is classified within the superfamily Eviphidoidea.
Paronellidae
Paronellidae is a family of elongate-bodied springtails (Collembola) in the order Entomobryomorpha. The family contains approximately 18 genera and at least 90 described species. Members of this family are primarily distributed in tropical and subtropical regions, with many species adapted to subterranean habitats including caves. The family includes notable troglobitic genera such as Troglobius and Troglopedetes.
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
Pauropus is a genus of minute myriapods in the class Pauropoda. These animals are among the smallest soil-dwelling arthropods, measuring less than 2 mm in length. Pauropus species are characterized by branched antennae and a reduced number of legs compared to other myriapod classes. The genus has been documented across multiple continents including Europe, Asia, and the Middle East.
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.
Peloptulus
Peloptulus is a genus of oribatid mites (family Phenopelopidae) established by Berlese in 1908. These mites belong to the diverse soil-dwelling microarthropod fauna commonly known as moss mites or beetle mites. The genus is documented from Scandinavian countries including Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.
Penniverpa festina
Penniverpa festina is a species of stiletto fly in the family Therevidae, described by Coquillett in 1893. Stiletto flies are predatory as larvae, inhabiting sandy soils where they feed on other invertebrates. Adults are generally found in open, sunny habitats and are known for their slender bodies and distinctive wing venation. This species is part of a diverse genus within a family containing approximately 1,000 described species worldwide.
Pentapria
Pentapria is a genus of minute parasitoid wasps in the family Diapriidae, established by Kieffer in 1905. Members of this genus are part of the diverse Proctotrupomorpha radiation within Hymenoptera. As with other diapriid wasps, species in this genus are likely parasitoids of other insects, though specific biological details remain poorly documented. The genus is rarely encountered in field studies and is represented by few observations in citizen science databases.
Pergamasinae
Pergamasinae is a subfamily of predatory mites within the family Parasitidae, order Mesostigmata. Members are relatively large for mites and occupy soil and decomposing organic matter habitats. The subfamily includes genera such as Pergamasus and Holoparasitus, with distribution centered in Europe within the broader Holarctic region.
Pergamasus
Pergamasus is a genus of predatory mites in the family Parasitidae, comprising approximately 70 described species distributed across the Northern Hemisphere. These soil-dwelling gamasid mites inhabit forest litter, mosses, and upper soil layers, where they function as generalist predators of small invertebrates. Several species have been documented as predators of tick nymphs, suggesting potential ecological significance in tick population control. The genus exhibits notable morphological diversity, with species groups defined primarily by male genital and leg characters.
Phthiracaridae
Phthiracaridae is a family of ptyctimous oribatid mites within the superfamily Phthiracaroidea. The family comprises approximately 7 genera and at least 710 described species, making it one of the largest families of Euptyctima. Members are characterized by a retractable idiosoma (ptychoidy), a defensive adaptation where the body can fold to protect legs and mouthparts. The family has a nearly cosmopolitan distribution with highest diversity in tropical and subtropical regions.
Phthiracaroidea
ptyctimous mites
Phthiracaroidea is a superfamily of oribatid mites (ptyctimous mites) characterized by a unique defensive mechanism: the ability to retract their legs and chelicerae into a protective cavity and close the body using a ventral scissure. The group includes families Phthiracaridae, Synichotritiidae, and related taxa. Members are primarily soil-dwelling decomposers found in leaf litter and humus across diverse geographic regions including the Palearctic and Southeast Asia.
Phthiracarus
Phthiracarus is the second largest genus of ptyctimous mites (Euptyctima), with nearly cosmopolitan distribution. The genus belongs to the family Phthiracaridae within the oribatid mites (Oribatida), a diverse group of soil-dwelling arachnids. Species in this genus are primarily found in temperate forest soils and are associated with decomposition processes. Recent taxonomic work has described new species from previously understudied regions including Northeast China.
Pinodytes gibbosus
Pinodytes gibbosus is a small, eyeless soil-dwelling beetle in the family Leiodidae. It inhabits leaf litter in California and feeds on fungi. The species was formally described in 2011, making it a relatively recent addition to the taxonomic literature. Its lack of eyes and subterranean habits reflect adaptations to a life spent primarily in dark, decomposing organic matter.
Platyseius
Platyseius is a genus of mesostigmatid mites first described by Berlese in 1916. The genus currently includes six described species distributed across multiple continents. Taxonomic placement has shifted over time, with the genus now classified in Blattisociidae (formerly placed in Ascidae). Species in this genus have been recorded from Europe, southern Africa, and Australia.
Plutomurus wilkeyi
Plutomurus wilkeyi is a species of springtail (Collembola) in the family Tomoceridae, first described by K. Christiansen in 1964. As a member of the genus Plutomurus, it belongs to a group of relatively large, robust springtails. The species is known from the Pacific North American region. Like other Tomoceridae, it possesses the furcula (springing organ) characteristic of Collembola, though specific ecological details remain poorly documented.
Pnyxia
dark-winged fungus gnats
Pnyxia is a genus of dark-winged fungus gnats in the family Sciaridae, established by Johannsen in 1912. The genus contains at least four described species, including Pnyxia scabiei, commonly known as the potato scab gnat. Members of this genus are small, delicate flies typically associated with moist, decomposing organic matter. The genus is part of a diverse family of fungus gnats whose larvae often feed on fungal mycelia and decaying plant material.
Podocinidae
Podocinidae is a family of free-living predatory mites in the order Mesostigmata. The family comprises 38 species across three genera: Africoseius, Podocinella, and Podocinum. These mites are primarily soil and leaf litter inhabitants, with most species in the genus Podocinum. Their biology remains poorly known despite taxonomic documentation from multiple continents.
Podocinum
Podocinum is a genus of predatory mites in the family Podocinidae, order Mesostigmata. The genus contains more than 30 described species distributed across six continents. Species have been collected from diverse habitats including leaf litter and, in one documented case, from the fur of a wild rodent. The genus was established by Berlese in 1882 and has been subject to recent taxonomic revision, including the description of new species from China and the United States.
Poduromorpha
Plump Springtails
Poduromorpha is one of three main orders of springtails (Collembola), distinguished by a plump, oval body shape with six visible abdominal segments and retention of all three thoracic segments. Members possess short legs and a short, flat furcula (springing organ), giving the group its name meaning 'foot tail formed'. The order contains approximately 3,400 described species across multiple families including Hypogastruridae, Poduridae, Neanuridae, Onychiuridae, and Brachystomellidae. Poduromorpha are primarily soil-dwelling and exhibit higher diversity in certain coastal and disturbed habitats compared to other springtail groups.
Pogonognathellus
Pogonognathellus is a genus of springtails (Collembola) in the family Tomoceridae, first described by Paclt in 1944. The genus contains at least two described species: P. flavescens and P. longicornis. It is part of the diverse Entomobryomorpha order, one of the most species-rich lineages of springtails. Members of this genus are found across multiple biogeographic regions including Europe, the Mediterranean, and Arctic zones.
Pogonognathellus dubius
Pogonognathellus dubius is a species of springtail (Collembola) in the family Tomoceridae, described by Christiansen in 1964. It belongs to a genus characterized by elongated body form and well-developed furcula. The species is part of the diverse North American springtail fauna, with records from northern, southern, and Pacific regions of the continent. As a member of the Tomoceridae, it likely inhabits soil and leaf litter environments typical of this family.
Pogonognathellus elongatus
Pogonognathellus elongatus is a species of springtail in the family Tomoceridae, described by E.A. Maynard in 1951. It belongs to a genus characterized by distinctive mouthpart structures and elongated body forms. The species has been documented across North American regions including the Pacific coast. Springtails in this family are typically found in soil and leaf litter habitats where they contribute to decomposition processes.
Polyaspididae
Polyaspididae is a family of mites within the order Mesostigmata, infraorder Uropodina. The family includes at least 21 described species across three genera: Polyaspis (the most diverse), Calotrachys, and Dyscritaspis. Most species have been described from Europe, Asia, and Africa, with scattered records from North America. The group belongs to the superfamily Uropodoidea, a diverse assemblage of primarily soil-dwelling mites.
Polyaspinus
Polyaspinus is a genus of mites in the order Mesostigmata. The genus was established by Berlese in 1916 and currently includes at least eleven described species distributed across multiple continents. Taxonomic placement has varied between families Polyaspididae and Trachytidae in different classification systems. The genus shows a broad geographic distribution with records from South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australia.
Polykatianna
Polykatianna is a genus of globular springtails in the family Katiannidae, characterized by their rounded body form typical of the Symphypleona. The genus was established by J.T. Salmon in 1946 and contains species distributed across widely separated regions including Australia, Antarctica and subantarctic islands, the Caribbean, and East Africa. Members of this genus inhabit diverse terrestrial environments from arid central Australian landscapes to cold subantarctic ecosystems.
Polypauropodidae
Polypauropodidae is a family of minute myriapods in the class Pauropoda, established by Remy in 1932. Pauropods are among the smallest soil-dwelling arthropods, rarely exceeding 2 mm in length. Members of this family are distinguished within Tetramerocerata by specific morphological features of the antennae and trunk segments. The family is poorly studied, with limited observational data and few described species.
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.
Porcellionidae
Porcellionid Woodlice
Porcellionidae is a family of terrestrial isopods (woodlice) containing approximately 530 species across 19 genera, distributed on every continent except Antarctica. Members are distinguished by flattened, spear-shaped uropods that extend beyond the terminal exoskeletal plate and slightly flared epimera on the thoracic exoskeleton. Unlike members of Armadillidiidae, porcellionids cannot roll into a defensive ball.
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.
Prokoeneniidae
microscorpions, microwhip scorpions
Prokoeneniidae is a family of microscorpions (order Palpigradi) established by Condé in 1996. The family contains at least two genera—*Prokoenenia* and *Triadokoenenia*—with approximately seven described species. These minute arachnids are among the least studied of all arachnid orders, reflecting their cryptic lifestyle and small size.
Proteinus brachypterus
Proteinus brachypterus is a small rove beetle (Staphylinidae) characterized by reduced hind wings (brachyptery), a trait reflected in its species name. It is widely distributed across the Holarctic region, with confirmed records from Europe, North Africa, the Middle East, Russia, and western North America. The species inhabits various decaying organic substrates and is associated with forest floor and riparian environments. Like other members of Proteininae, it is presumed to be a predator or scavenger in microarthropod communities, though specific ecological studies are limited.
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.
Pselaphochernes distinctus
Pselaphochernes distinctus is a species of pseudoscorpion in the family Chernetidae. Pseudoscorpions are small, flattened arachnids that resemble true scorpions but lack a tail and stinger. Members of the genus Pselaphochernes are typically found in association with soil, leaf litter, or decaying organic matter in forested habitats. This species is part of a diverse group of pseudoscorpions that play roles as micro-predators in soil ecosystems.
Pselaptrichus
Pselaptrichus is a genus of ant-loving beetles in the family Staphylinidae, described by Brendel in 1889. The genus contains more than 30 described species. These beetles belong to the subfamily Pselaphinae, a diverse group of small rove beetles characterized by their ecological associations with ants and other social insects.
Pseudachorudina ignota
Pseudachorudina ignota is a species of springtail in the family Neanuridae, described from the Pacific North American region in 1980. As a member of the subfamily Pseudachorutinae, it belongs to a group of soil-dwelling microarthropods characterized by reduced or absent furcula and distinctive head morphology. The species remains poorly known, with minimal published biological data beyond its original description.
Pseudachorutes
Pseudachorutes is a genus of springtails in the family Neanuridae, containing more than 50 described species. These small hexapods are distributed across diverse biomes including arctic, tropical, and desert regions. As members of the subfamily Pseudachorutinae, they represent a well-established lineage within the Poduromorpha order.
Pseudachorutinae
Pseudachorutinae is a subfamily of springtails (Collembola) within the family Neanuridae, established by Börner in 1906. The subfamily contains over 50 genera and 200 described species distributed across tropical and subtropical regions worldwide, including the Caribbean, Central and South America, Asia, and the Russian Far East. Members are typically small (<1.0 mm), unpigmented springtails with reduced appendages and simplified body structures.
Pseudisotoma
Pseudisotoma is a genus of springtails (Collembola) in the family Isotomidae, established by Handschin in 1924. Members of this genus are small, soil-dwelling hexapods found across diverse geographic regions including Arctic, European, Caribbean, Southeast Asian, and Hawaiian localities. As part of the diverse Isotomidae family, they contribute to decomposition processes in their habitats.
Pseudocellus dorotheae
hooded tickspider
Pseudocellus dorotheae is a species of hooded tickspider in the order Ricinulei, first described from Texas in 1939. Ricinuleids are a small, reclusive order of arachnids characterized by a retractable hood (cucullus) covering the mouthparts. This species represents one of the few described members of the genus Pseudocellus in North America. Like other ricinuleids, it is poorly known due to its cryptic habits and limited collection records.
Pseudosinella
slender springtails
Pseudosinella is a genus of slender-bodied springtails in the family Entomobryidae, established by Schäffer in 1897. The genus contains more than 20 described species distributed across diverse habitats including tropical rainforests, temperate woodlands, and even Antarctic and subantarctic regions. Members of this genus are characterized by their elongated, cylindrical body form and reduced or absent pigmentation. They are part of the diverse soil and leaf litter fauna, contributing to decomposition processes.
Pseudosinella alba
Pseudosinella alba is a species of slender springtail in the family Entomobryidae. Originally described as Lepidocyrtus albus by Packard in 1873, it is a small hexapod belonging to the order Entomobryomorpha. The species has been recorded from Europe and various other regions including Arctic and Sub-arctic areas, with limited observational data available.
Pseudosinella folsomi
A species of slender springtail in the family Entomobryidae, originally described from North America. Pseudosinella folsomi belongs to a large genus of elongate collembolans characterized by reduced body pigmentation and long antennae. The species is documented in scattered records across southern North America.
Pseudosinella rolfsi
Pseudosinella rolfsi is a species of slender springtail in the family Entomobryidae, first described by H.B. Mills in 1932. As an entomobryomorph collembolan, it possesses the elongated body form and relatively long antennae characteristic of this group. The species has been recorded across North America with observations spanning northern, southern, and Pacific regions. Springtails in this genus are typically found in soil and leaf litter habitats where they contribute to decomposition processes.
Pseudosinella sexoculata
Pseudosinella sexoculata is a species of elongate springtail in the family Entomobryidae, described by Schött in 1902. Members of this genus are characterized by their slender, scaled bodies and are typically found in soil and leaf litter habitats. The specific epithet "sexoculata" refers to the presence of six eyes (ocelli), a diagnostic feature distinguishing it from related species. Like other entomobryomorph springtails, it possesses a furcula for jumping and lacks a collophore on the first abdominal segment.