Soil-microarthropod
Guides
Allacma fusca
Allacma fusca is a large springtail species endemic to western Continental Europe and the British Isles. Adults reach approximately 3.5 mm in length and inhabit moist terrestrial environments, particularly among leaf litter in surface soil layers. The species has been studied for its physiological tolerance to elevated carbon dioxide levels compared to deeper-soil springtails.
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.
Folsomia regularis
Folsomia regularis is a species of elongate-bodied springtail in the family Isotomidae, described by Hammer in 1953. It belongs to a genus of soil-dwelling microarthropods commonly found in diverse terrestrial habitats. The species has been recorded across multiple biogeographic regions including Arctic, sub-Arctic, and North American zones.
Ptenothrix marmorata
Ptenothrix marmorata is a globular springtail species in the family Dicyrtomidae, characterized by its rounded body form typical of the order Symphypleona. The species was originally described by Packard in 1873 under the genus Dicyrtoma. As with other members of its family, it possesses a furcula (springing organ) for locomotion and is part of the diverse soil microarthropod community. The specific epithet 'marmorata' refers to a marbled coloration pattern.
Sminthurides plicatus
Sminthurides plicatus is a species of globular springtail in the family Sminthurididae, first described by H. Schött in 1891. It belongs to the order Symphypleona, characterized by a rounded body shape distinct from elongate springtails. The species has been recorded in Caribbean and Pacific North American regions. As with other Sminthurides species, it is a small, soil-dwelling microarthropod.
Vesicephalus occidentalis
globular springtail
Vesicephalus occidentalis is a species of globular springtail in the family Katiannidae. It belongs to the order Symphypleona, characterized by a rounded, globular body form. The species was described by H.B. Mills in 1935. As a springtail, it possesses a furcula (springing organ) that enables leaping locomotion. The species is part of the diverse community of soil-dwelling microarthropods.