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Order: Collembola (Springtails)
Life
> Eukaryotes >
Opisthokonta >
Metazoa (animals) > Bilateria > Ecdysozoa
> Panarthropoda > Tritocerebra > Phylum:
Arthopoda > Mandibulata > Atelocerata >
Panhexapoda > Hexapoda
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Springtail Seira sp. (family: Entomobryidae) feeding on fungus on tree;
Kleinmond Nature Reserve, Western Cape, South Africa. [photo H
Robertson, Iziko ©] |
Entomobryid collembolan, Kleinmond Nature Reserve,
7 October 2005. [photo H Robertson, Iziko ©] |
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Collembolan on underside of rock, Wildcliff Nature
Reserve, Western Cape, South Africa. [photo H Robertson, Iziko ©] |
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Collembolan in the family Sminthuridae, taken in
Cape Town garden. [photo H Robertson, Iziko ©] |
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Large accumulation of poduroid Collembola forming a purple mat on the ground. Photographed
just outside Mkomazi Game Reserve in
Tanzania. [photo H Robertson, Iziko ©] |
Collembolans are tiny insects that usually live in moist situations such as leaf
litter. They have a special springing organ folded under their body that when released
sends them shooting up into the air.
Publications (by date)
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Christiansen, K. 1992. Springtails. The Kansas School Naturalist 39(1): 3-16.
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Janion C, Bedos A, Bengtsson J, et al. 2011.
Springtail diversity in South Africa. South African Journal of Science
107(11/12), Art. #582, 7 pages. doi:
10.4102/sajs.v107i11/12.582
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