Collembola

Springtails (Class: Collembola) are less than 5mm long, and often very much smaller. They live in soil or leaf litter.

Their bodies are cylindrical or round and they possess a 'spring' mechanism (known as a furcula) on their abdomens. If disturbed they can set off this mechanism and launch themselves well away from a potential predator.

They have short segmented antennae (never more than 6 segments) and may be brown or grey or mottled in colour. Their bodies are slightly hairy and the abdomen only has six segments.

A photograph of the springtail Isotoma habitus
Photograph by Onychiurus, used under GFDL

Other names for (or types of) Collembola include:

• Springtail

Related terms

• Furcula
• Insects
• Non-insect hexapods
• Protura

Related groups of terms

• Arthropod Classes

Related pages on this web site

• Springtails - Class Collembola

See other words beginning with C