Springtail Wiki

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Trade name

Blacklight Springtail

Trade name North America

Also written as: Blacklight, Black Light Springtail, Blacklight Springtails

Sold as Blacklight Springtail. The most likely species is Lepidocyrtus violaceus.

I bought this Open the key with this name selected. It starts from the species behind the name and asks what you can see.

What you probably have

These are the species the name may stand for. The order and the words show how sure we are.

  • Likely

    Lepidocyrtus violaceus

    Sold as the hobby culture Blacklight

    The seller lists Lepidocyrtus violaceus as the Blacklight Springtail. It was sold earlier as Lepidocyrtus sp. Anecdotal 1

If you sell or buy under this name

Tip Sell stock under a species name only after a microscope has confirmed it, and buy from sellers who can trace the stock back to a microscope identification. Anecdotal 1

What would settle it

  • Which species is this culture, checked by a specialist?

    Identification Needs a voucher specimen

    Why it matters. Hobby cultures are mostly named from a seller's label or a photograph. A wrong name spreads from seller to keeper and then into care advice.

    What would help. Preserved vouchers from the culture in 80 to 95 percent ethanol, mounted specimens examined by a springtail specialist, and a DNA barcode where a reference exists. Deposit the voucher with a museum or a university collection.

Sources

  1. 1

    Springtail Identification and Common Name Resource

    Pavy R. Springtails US

    Link works · Retailer

    Cited at hobby name list, Lepidocyrtus violaceus "Blacklight Springtail"; hobby name list, Tomocerus minor "Giant Runner Springtail".