Springtail Wiki

Reading level

Changes how much detail each statement shows. Saved on this device.

Theme

Units

Stops animation and uses still drawings.

Web page

Major Springtail Hobby Identification Updates (2026)

Link works Retailer

Pavy R. 2026. Springtails US

Details

Origin
springtails-us
Last opened
Oct 22, 2026

Posted 13 March 2026, updated 17 March 2026.

How it was checked

Checked on Oct 22, 2026 by a web request. The registry returned: Major Springtail Hobby Identification Updates (2026).

Where this source is used

Cited by 65 statements

Entomobrya assuta

  • A North American springtail with a highly variable colour pattern. The Varicolored Springtail of the hobby is a patternless culture that a collembologist linked to it. (at Entomobrya confusa Varicolored Springtail)
  • Springtails US sold its Varicolored stock as Entomobrya confusa, then as Entomobrya assuta var. nov. A collembologist who examined it said it keys out to another species by colour pattern, but its setae are completely different and it looks like a patternless form of E. assuta. Its two main colours, yellowish brown and greyish blue, match the two backgrounds reported for Illinois populations. The seller notes that wild E. assuta from Illinois with the usual pattern behaved differently, and plans DNA sequencing. (at Entomobrya confusa Varicolored Springtail)
  • The label var. nov. means a new variety that nobody has published. It is a note about this culture and it is not a taxon, and the site does not give it a taxon page. (at Entomobrya confusa Varicolored Springtail)

Entomobrya confusa

  • The Varicolored stock was sold as Entomobrya confusa until 2026, when a collembologist read it as a patternless form of Entomobrya assuta. (at Entomobrya confusa Varicolored Springtail to Entomobrya assuta var. nov.)
  • The 2026 identification replaced this name for the Varicolored stock. (at Entomobrya confusa Varicolored Springtail to Entomobrya assuta var. nov.)

Entomobrya griseoolivata

  • The Grizzled stock was sold as Entomobrya griseoolivata until 2026, when it was moved to Entomobryoides cf. dissimilis. (at Entomobrya griseoolivata Grizzled Springtail to Entomobryoides cf. dissimilis)
  • The seller says the old identification was way off, because the animal is much larger than a typical Entomobrya. (at Entomobrya griseoolivata Grizzled Springtail to Entomobryoides cf. dissimilis)

Entomobryoides cf. dissimilis

  • A large grizzled olive springtail tentatively identified as Entomobryoides dissimilis, after being sold as an Entomobrya. (at Entomobrya griseoolivata Grizzled Springtail)
  • It was sold as Entomobrya griseoolivata. A 2026 update moved it to Entomobryoides cf. dissimilis. The seller says the old name was way off, and that Entomobryoides fits because the species is much larger than a typical Entomobrya. The cf. means the species-level name is still tentative. (at Entomobrya griseoolivata Grizzled Springtail)
  • The seller has seen it grab single grains of yeast and run off to eat them alone, a behaviour noted in the genus and perhaps an adaptation to life in ant nests. (at Entomobrya griseoolivata Grizzled Springtail)

Entomobryoides purpurascens

  • A runner linked to ant nests, sold as the Wood Runner Springtail and named at genus and species level in 2026. (at Entomobrya sp Wood Runner Springtail)
  • It was sold as Entomobrya sp. Wood Runner Springtail. In 2026 a collembologist identified it as Entomobryoides purpurascens. The seller notes the species is fairly widely sold, so the old name will linger. (at Entomobrya sp Wood Runner Springtail)
  • The identifying collembologist said the species can be associated with ant nests. It has been documented picking up pre-killed Folsomia candida and running off to eat them in private, and the seller has seen the same with grains of yeast in another Entomobryoides. (at Entomobrya sp Wood Runner Springtail)

Florida Orange Locality

  • This stock was sold as Neanura growae, the Florida Orange Springtail. The name came from a collembologist looking at online images, assuming a United States animal was a North American species. In 2026 the seller replaced it with Yuukianura aphoruroides Florida Orange Locality and says it is a different line from the Spanish Orange stock. (at Neanura growae Florida Orange Springtail)

Florida Orange Springtail

  • In 2026 the seller replaced the old name with Yuukianura aphoruroides Florida Orange Locality. The stock came from a naturalised population in the United States. (at Neanura growae Florida Orange Springtail to Yuukianura aphoruroides)
  • The old name came from a collembologist looking at online images and assuming a United States animal was a North American species. No microscope work supported it, and the seller now calls it a mistake. (at Neanura growae Florida Orange Springtail to Yuukianura aphoruroides)
  • The seller reports much confusion between the old Neanura growae name and the Spanish Orange stock, because sellers did not track identifications. (at Neanura growae Florida Orange Springtail to Yuukianura aphoruroides)
  • The stock was sold as Neanura growae. The seller says the more responsible label would have been Neanurinae sp. until further analysis, and takes responsibility for popularising the old name. (at Neanura growae Florida Orange Springtail to Yuukianura aphoruroides)
  • In March 2026 the seller moved to the name Yuukianura aphoruroides Florida Orange Locality. The species is Asian and was already known living wild in Europe. The seller reports it as far north as Virginia and suggests earthworm imports as a route into the United States, which is a guess. (at Neanura growae Florida Orange Springtail to Yuukianura aphoruroides)

Green Water Springtail

  • The 2026 identification is Isotomurus cf. louisiana. The cf. marks that the match is not total. (at Isotomurus retardatus Green Water Springtail to Isotomurus cf. louisiana)
  • The stock was sold as Isotomurus retardatus. The seller says the old identification was hard to obtain and the new one is also uncertain. (at Isotomurus retardatus Green Water Springtail to Isotomurus cf. louisiana)
  • The stock was sold as Isotomurus retardatus. In 2026 the seller moved it to Isotomurus cf. louisiana and said it has not been sold widely, so the change should cause little confusion. (at Isotomurus retardatus Green Water Springtail to Isotomurus cf. louisiana)

Grizzled Springtail

  • The 2026 identification is Entomobryoides cf. dissimilis. The cf. marks that the match is tentative. (at Entomobrya griseoolivata Grizzled Springtail to Entomobryoides cf. dissimilis)
  • The stock was sold as Entomobrya griseoolivata. The seller says the old identification was way off, because the animal is much larger than a typical Entomobrya. (at Entomobrya griseoolivata Grizzled Springtail to Entomobryoides cf. dissimilis)
  • The stock was sold under both common names and as Entomobrya griseoolivata. In 2026 the seller moved it to Entomobryoides cf. dissimilis. (at Entomobrya griseoolivata Grizzled Springtail to Entomobryoides cf. dissimilis)

Isotomurus cf. louisiana

  • A green springtail sold as the Green Water Springtail. Its species is tentative, so the name carries cf. (at Isotomurus retardatus Green Water Springtail)
  • It was sold as Isotomurus retardatus. The seller moved it to Isotomurus cf. louisiana in 2026 and says the new name also lacks total certainty, hence the cf. (at Isotomurus retardatus Green Water Springtail)

Isotomurus retardatus

  • The Green Water stock was sold as Isotomurus retardatus until 2026, when it was moved to Isotomurus cf. louisiana. (at Isotomurus retardatus Green Water Springtail to Isotomurus cf. louisiana)
  • The seller says the old identification was hard to obtain and the new one also lacks total certainty. (at Isotomurus retardatus Green Water Springtail to Isotomurus cf. louisiana)

Neanura growae

  • The seller sold the Florida Orange stock as Neanura growae until 2026, when it was moved to Yuukianura aphoruroides Florida Orange Locality. (at Neanura growae Florida Orange Springtail to Yuukianura aphoruroides)
  • The seller reports confusion between the old Neanura growae name and the Spanish Orange stock, because sellers did not track identifications. (at Neanura growae Florida Orange Springtail to Yuukianura aphoruroides)
  • The old name was a guess from online images without microscopy. The seller now calls it a mistake. (at Neanura growae Florida Orange Springtail to Yuukianura aphoruroides)
  • The name came from a collembologist who saw online images and assumed a United States animal was a North American species. (at Neanura growae Florida Orange Springtail to Yuukianura aphoruroides)

Notes that apply across the site

  • Keep the common name and the collection locality attached to every culture. One common name can cover stock from different localities and sometimes different species. (at Hypogastruridae sp. Tiny Blue Springtail to Xenylla grisea)
  • When an identification is tentative, write cf. before the species name and keep it until the match is confirmed. (at Isotomurus retardatus Green Water Springtail to Isotomurus cf. louisiana)
  • When a stock changes name, tell buyers and other sellers widely. Otherwise one animal ends up with two names, and two animals end up sharing one. (at Neanura growae Florida Orange Springtail to Yuukianura aphoruroides)

Orange Springtail

  • A second stock of the same species is sold as Florida Orange Locality. The seller says it is a different line from the Spanish Orange stock, so a bare Orange label does not say which one you have. (at Neanura growae Florida Orange Springtail to Yuukianura aphoruroides)
  • The first stock was collected in Spain and entered the hobby in 2022. It reached the seller in February 2022 sold as Bilobella braunerae. (at Neanura growae Florida Orange Springtail to Yuukianura aphoruroides)

Seira bipunctata

  • Stock sold as Seira bipunctata was moved to Seira brasiliana in 2026. The original name came from macro photographs and the new one from microscopy. (at Seira bipunctata to Seira brasiliana)
  • The seller says the original identification was based on macrophotography and the new one is confirmed by microscopy. (at Seira bipunctata to Seira brasiliana)

Seira brasiliana

  • A Seira confirmed to species by microscopy in 2026 after being sold as Seira bipunctata. (at Seira bipunctata Seira brasiliana)
  • The original identification as Seira bipunctata came from macrophotography. A 2026 update confirmed Seira brasiliana by microscopy. The seller says it has not been sold widely. (at Seira bipunctata Seira brasiliana)

Seira purpurea

  • A Seira confirmed to species by microscopy in 2026 after being sold as Seira sp. 13. (at Seira sp 13 Seira purpurea)
  • The original identification as Seira sp. 13 came from macrophotography. A 2026 update confirmed Seira purpurea by microscopy. The seller says it has not been sold widely, so the change should cause little confusion. (at Seira sp 13 Seira purpurea)

Seira sp. 13

  • Stock sold as Seira sp. 13 was moved to Seira purpurea in 2026. The original name came from macro photographs and the new one from microscopy. (at Seira sp. 13 to Seira purpurea)

Sinella curviseta

  • The seller says Sinella curviseta is not the proper name of the widespread species in the hobby, which is Coecobrya tenebricosa. (at Coecobrya sp. Tropical Pink to Coecobrya tenebricosa)
  • The Tropical culture was sold for years under the name Sinella, and then as Coecobrya sp., before the species name was confirmed. (at Coecobrya sp. Tropical Pink to Coecobrya tenebricosa)

Tiny Blue Springtail

  • The seller lists Xenylla grisea as the Tiny Blue Springtail from the Lake Keystone, Oklahoma locale. It was sold before as Hypogastruridae sp. (at Hypogastruridae sp. Tiny Blue Springtail to Xenylla grisea)
  • The old label only reached family level. The seller asks everyone to keep the common name and the locality attached to every culture of this species, because other localities share the common name. (at Hypogastruridae sp. Tiny Blue Springtail to Xenylla grisea)

Tropical Pink Springtail

  • The stock was sold for years as Sinella curviseta. The seller had its own stock identified as Coecobrya sp. a few years before 2026, and in 2026 reached a fully confirmed Coecobrya tenebricosa identification. Some sellers had already adopted that name from their own stock. (at Coecobrya sp. Tropical Pink to Coecobrya tenebricosa)

Tropical White Springtail

  • Tropical springtails go by two common names, white and pink. The animals are not all that pink, so some sellers use Tropical White for the same species. (at Coecobrya sp. Tropical Pink to Coecobrya tenebricosa)

Varicolored Springtail

  • A collembologist read the stock as a patternless form of Entomobrya assuta. The seller notes that other animals collected as E. assuta behaved differently, and plans DNA sequencing. (at Entomobrya confusa Varicolored Springtail to Entomobrya assuta var. nov.)
  • The stock was sold as Entomobrya confusa, but the 2026 identification replaced that name. (at Entomobrya confusa Varicolored Springtail to Entomobrya assuta var. nov.)
  • In 2026 the stock moved from Entomobrya confusa to Entomobrya assuta var. nov. The var. nov. is a note that the form may be new. It is not a species name. (at Entomobrya confusa Varicolored Springtail to Entomobrya assuta var. nov.)
  • The animals are yellowish brown or greyish blue with no pattern. A collembologist notes that these are the same two background colours Katz and colleagues report for Illinois populations of E. assuta. (at Entomobrya confusa Varicolored Springtail to Entomobrya assuta var. nov.)

Wood Runner Springtail

  • A collembologist identified the stock as Entomobryoides purpurascens in 2026. It was sold earlier as Entomobrya sp. (at Entomobrya sp. Wood Runner Springtail to Entomobryoides purpurascens)
  • The stock was sold as Entomobrya sp. until the 2026 identification placed it in a different genus. (at Entomobrya sp. Wood Runner Springtail to Entomobryoides purpurascens)
  • The seller says a species name was always needed. The genus changed as well. Because the species is somewhat widely sold, the seller expects confusion. (at Entomobrya sp. Wood Runner Springtail to Entomobryoides purpurascens)

Xenylla grisea

  • A tiny blue-grey springtail from Lake Keystone, Oklahoma, identified to species in 2026. The same common name was sold for a different species. (at Hypogastruridae sp Tiny Blue Springtail)
  • It was sold as Hypogastruridae sp. Tiny Blue Springtail, a family-level name. In 2026 the stock from Lake Keystone, Oklahoma was named Xenylla grisea. (at Hypogastruridae sp Tiny Blue Springtail)
  • The common name Tiny Blue Springtail is shared with other stock. The seller urges sellers to keep the common name and the locality, Lake Keystone, OK, attached to every culture of this species. A separate Poduromorpha sp. Tiny Blue Springtail also exists. (at Hypogastruridae sp Tiny Blue Springtail)

Yuukianura aphoruroides

  • The orange springtail of the hobby, a plump Asian species that reached Europe with earthworm imports and has been sold under at least four wrong names. (at Neanura growae Florida Orange Springtail)
  • The species is Asian. It came into Europe from the Philippines through earthworm cultures. The first hobby stock was collected in Spain and entered the hobby in 2022 as the Spanish Orange Springtail. (at Neanura growae Florida Orange Springtail)
  • A stock sold as Neanura growae, the Florida Orange Springtail, is now called Yuukianura aphoruroides Florida Orange Locality. It was named from online images only, because it was found in the United States, and it was a naturalised population. The seller reports the species in the wild at least as far north as Virginia, and it may have come in with earthworm imports. The two hobby stocks carry the same species name but different histories. (at Neanura growae Florida Orange Springtail)
  • The species is known in the wild in Europe and now in the United States as well, according to the seller. No published survey was read for this site. (at Neanura growae Florida Orange Springtail)