Collembola-
Willowsia jacobsoni?
FAMILY -willosiinae
Or
-Family Entomobryidae?
White ones
Collembola-Likely family Paronellidae-subfamily Cyphoderinae..
This small grp of insects present in soil is called the soil Meso-fauna. Soil mesofauna are invertebrates between 0.1mm and 2mm in size, which live in the soil or in a leaf litter layer on the soil surface.
A very complex grp called springtails.
Most abundant animal on the planet,but Totally overlooked!
Springtails are in their own family now...split off from insects recently.
Collembola have a simple, soft body with a unique jumping appendage (furcula).
Collembola are small, soil-dwelling arthropods commonly known as springtails due to their ability to "spring" away using a specialized structure called the furcula.
Characteristics:
Tiny, usually less than 6 mm long
Soft-bodied, with a segmented body
Possess a furcula, a forked appendage on the underside of the abdomen used for jumping
Wingless and typically lack compound eyes
Live in soil, leaf litter, and other moist environments.Generally love to stay hidden under something like a brick.
Thousands in numbers in square area but microscopic.
Most need shade & freshwater not all, don't like hot and dry conditions
Springtails are among the most widespread and abundant groups in/on our soils (20,000 to 400,000 m-² individuals), as such, they impact the functioning of their ecosystems.
An important role of springtails is their contribution to the ecological balance of the soil microfauna, which allows the dissemination and regulation of fungi and bacteria populations. These are essential for a good flow of nutrients. Without springtails, many elements would be static within the microbial biomass.
When the leaves fall from the trees they decompose due to the presence of microscopic fungi whose spores are transported elsewhere by springtails. The mycelia of the latter can thus colonize new areas.
Four distinct morphological types are observed in springtails:-
Poduromorphs and Entomobryomorphs which are grouped in the suborder Arthropleones.
Symphypleones and Neelipleones which are grouped in the suborder Symphypleones
2 types of springtails
1 globular and 1 elongated
Entomobryidae, sometimes called "slender springtails", is a family of springtails characterised by enlarged 4th abdominal segment.
Order : PODUROMORPH Most likely
This family has colorful species too. Color can be used to identify species
*entomobrya marginata?
Springtails do not have compound eyes, as is the case with almost all insects. Their vision is made from a group of simple or ocellated eyes grouped in the ocular plates and whose number and disposition vary according to the species
So don't jump with tail nor legs but use
Furcula two legs fused together, unique to springtails.Store energy and jump 10× their size ,not very accurate in landing,raotae body 100 times in air a minute. An escape mechanism prob to confuse predator where is head .
These jumps, resulting from an explosive relaxation of their furca, were then considered as an escape reflex.
Furcula se habitat pata chalta hai.
Like If they live underground furca not present,no need to jump.
Springtails help study or monitor, during their stay in environments where different doses of chemical elements have been introduced. for example, Folsomia candida has been used to perform toxicity measurements of metals such as cadmium, copper, lead, or zinc. Folsomia fimetera has been used to evaluate the toxicity of nickel.
What are they Eating-
They are an important part of decomposition process in nature ,breaking down.
Like Fungi , fungal spores fungal mysilium
dead animals.
To find them easily look with lens on mushroom gills they will be neebling on them.The springtails who love mushrooms graze the hyphae.
Some specialized spiders and tiny ground beetles eat them apparently
Not insects but hexapods which insects are also part of but they are a separate branch of this now.
Six legged invertebrates pretty much.
Sadly u need a microscope to identify the species
to identify-
There is division between two families
Firstly,
Shape of hairs on legs(next to foot)
And other entire family,
Hairs are pointed clubbed together.
Reproduction of springtails can, depending on the species, be sexed (male + female) or asexual (parthenogenesis).
They lay eggs.
Also One weird Tube is present on the bottom, that they use in water absorption,they can drink water, absorb moisture from surfaces.
Collembola don't affect humans. Mainly, they graze (like microscopic sheep) on fungi growing (and decomposing) on dead leaves, microalgae, pollen, soil organic debris....harmless!
#springtailsjump #collembolajump
#Springtails #Collembola #soilcreature #mesofauna #soilorganisms #microorganism #decomposer #information #tinysoilcreature
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