Springtail Wiki

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Units

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Dataset

Checklist of the Collembola: Glossary of Morphological Terms

Link works Authoritative database

Janssens F

Details

Origin
collembola-org
Last opened
Oct 22, 2026

Each entry quotes and dates the definitions it collects. The page is stamped last updated 2020.11.24.

How it was checked

Checked on Oct 22, 2026 by a web request. The registry returned: Checklist of the Collembola: Glossary of Morphological Terms.

Where this source is used

Cited by 21 statements

Abdomen

  • The hind part of the body, made of five segments and a small end piece. It carries the collophore, the retinaculum and the furca. (at s.v. abdomen)

Anal spines

  • Raised spines on the last abdominal segment, near the anus. Some springtails have them and some do not. (at s.v. anal spine)

Chaeta

  • A bristle or hair on the body that sits in a small socket. Their number, length and position help to tell species apart. (at s.v. seta)

Chaetotaxy

  • The arrangement of bristles on the body. Specialists name each bristle, and the pattern can separate species that look alike. (at s.v. chaetotaxy)

Collophore

  • A small tube on the underside of the first abdominal segment with two soft bulbs that can be pushed out. It helps the animal keep its water balance and cling to smooth surfaces. (at s.v. collophore)

Dens

  • One of the two arms of the furca. It runs from the manubrium to the small tip (mucro). The plural is dentes. (at s.v. dens)

Eyepatch

  • The patch on each side of the head that holds the eyes. It is usually dark, which makes it easy to find with a loupe. (at s.v. eye patch)

Furca

  • The forked jumping organ folded under the body. A base piece (manubrium) carries two arms (dentes), and each arm ends in a small tip (mucro). Some springtails have a short furca or none. (at s.v. furca)

Habitus

  • The overall shape and look of an animal, such as slender, plump or globular. It is the first thing to judge, before any fine detail. (at s.v. habitus)

Instar

  • A growth stage between two moults. Springtails keep moulting after they reach adult size, so one animal passes through many instars. (at s.v. instar)

Macrochaeta

  • A long, strong bristle. The pattern of long bristles on the head and body is one of the main features specialists compare. (at s.v. macrochaeta)

Manubrium

  • The base piece of the furca. It joins the abdomen at one end and the two arms (dentes) at the other. (at s.v. manubrium)

Moult

  • The shedding of the outer skin so that the animal can grow. (at s.v. moult)

Mouthcone

  • The snout at the front of the head, formed by the upper and lower lips. It sits low on the front of the head and is flattened rather than truly conical. (at s.v. buccal cone)

Mucro

  • The small tip at the end of each arm of the furca. Specialists describe its teeth and shape in detail. (at s.v. mucro)

Ocellus

  • One of the single eyes that together make up the eye on each side of the head. A side carries at most eight, and some springtails have none. (at s.v. ocellus)

Postantennal organ

  • A small sensory organ just behind the base of each antenna. You need a microscope to see it, and some springtails do not have one. (at s.v. postantennal organ)

Pseudocellus

  • A small round or oval spot on the skin ringed by a raised rim. It probably releases a fluid that repels predators, and it has nothing to do with sight. (at s.v. pseudocellus)

Retinaculum

  • A small forked clasp under the third abdominal segment. It holds the folded furca in place until the springtail jumps. (at s.v. tenaculum)

Scales

  • Flat, overlapping plates on the body of some springtails. They rub off easily, and they give some species an iridescent shine. (at s.v. scale)

Tubercle

  • A raised bump on the skin, often carrying bristles. Some springtails have prominent tubercles that give them a bumpy, knobbly look. (at s.v. dorsolateral tubercles)