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Entomobryomorpha · Isotomidae

Isotomurus cf. louisiana

A green springtail for wet setups. Its species name is still tentative.A green springtail sold as the Green Water Springtail. Its species is tentative, so the name carries cf. Anecdotal 1

Also sold or known as

Working identification: cf. (compare with)

It looks like this species but has not been confirmed. cf. does not confirm a name.

This page is partly filled in

Some sections have little or no evidence yet. Each gap says so rather than guessing.

Side view drawing of Isotomurus cf. louisiana, drawn from sourced body proportions. It is a drawing, not a photograph.
Drawing
Schematic plate drawn from the group and the keeper colour name. Proportions and eye count are not measured from a specimen.

No size is recorded for this species yet, so true size is not available.

At a glance

Difficulty
Expert Anecdotal 2
Growth
Fast Anecdotal 2
Best enclosures
Closed tropical terrarium, Temperate woodland vivarium A model estimate from the ranges on this page. See every enclosure type
In trade
Regularly available As of Oct 22, 2026. Anecdotal 2
Identification
Tentative Under active research How sure we are

Not recorded yet: Size, Temperature, Air humidity.

Identification

The hobby name Green Water Springtail points to a green animal. Anecdotal 3

Characters to check

These are the features recorded for this species. Each row says what kit you need to read it.

Character What it looks like Needs
Body form Slim tube The body is a smooth tube with segments you can see, and shorter antennae and legs. Inherited: Isotomidae 4 Naked eye
Main colour Green or olive Green, olive or green grey. 3 Naked eye
Scales No scales The body has no scales, only skin and bristles. Inherited: Isotomidae 4 Hand loupe
Antenna segments Four plain segments The antenna has four clear segments and none is divided into rings. / Divided into rings At least one segment is split into small rings, which makes the antenna look jointed. Varies Inherited: Collembola 5 Stereo microscope
Mouth shape Blunt mouth The mouth is blunt and the head is rounded in front. Inherited: Entomobryomorpha 4 Hand loupe
Spines on the tail end No spines The last abdominal segment has no spines. Inherited: Entomobryomorpha 4 Stereo microscope
7 characters have no record yet

Nobody has recorded these for this species, so the key treats them as unknown and never guesses.

  • Body length
  • Colour pattern
  • Surface texture
  • Antenna length
  • Eyes
  • Eye count
  • Jumping organ

Identify an animal you have

Answer in any order, with the kit you have.

Husbandry and breeding

  • Difficulty Expert
  • Growth Fast
  • Yield High
Airflow
Low Anecdotal 2

Foods

  • Commercial springtail mix Good 2
  • Dry yeast Good 2
  • Fish flakes Occasional 2

Substrates

  • Calcium clay Good 2
  • Plain plaster Good 2

The evidence in detail

Springtails US rates it Advanced level. Anecdotal 2
Model assumption Springtails US scores its reproduction rate 7 out of 10. The site reads that as fast growth and a high yield. Anecdotal 2
Springtails US cultures it on clay or plaster. It advises moist substrate with minimal ventilation. Anecdotal 2
Feed once or twice a week with a springtail food mix, brewer's yeast, another yeast or fish food. Anecdotal 2
Warning The seller reports that it jumps very high and is hard to keep contained. Take care when opening the culture. Anecdotal 2

Tools

Print a care card

Key numbers and a QR code back to this page.

Bioactive compatibility

Fit by enclosure type

A model estimate from the climate each enclosure type holds and the ranges recorded for this species. It is not a measurement.

Enclosure type Fit Why
Closed tropical terrarium A glass terrarium with a lid and little ventilation, misted often, kept for dart frogs and other animals from humid forest. See where it ranks Good fit
  • Sellers culture it damp all the way through, which suits a substrate that stays wet.
  • Airflow is low, which is what this species is kept with.
Temperate woodland vivarium A cool, damp vivarium with leaf litter, bark and a moisture gradient, kept for fire salamanders and similar woodland amphibians. See where it ranks Good fit
  • Sellers culture it damp all the way through, which suits a substrate that stays wet.
  • Airflow is medium. This species is usually kept with low airflow.
Open tropical terrarium A tall terrarium with mesh ventilation and daily misting that dries out between sprays, kept for crested geckos and similar climbers. See where it ranks Marginal fit
  • Sellers culture it damp all the way through. A substrate that stays damp is only a partial match.
  • Airflow is medium. This species is usually kept with low airflow.
Isopod tub A ventilated tub of organic substrate and leaf litter with a damp end and a dry end, kept for isopod colonies. See where it ranks Marginal fit
  • Sellers culture it damp all the way through. A substrate that stays damp is only a partial match.
  • Airflow is medium. This species is usually kept with low airflow.
Potted plant A houseplant pot with an open top, watered on a schedule so the soil dries a little between waterings. See where it ranks Marginal fit
  • Sellers culture it damp all the way through. A substrate that stays damp is only a partial match.
  • Airflow is high. This species is usually kept with low airflow, which is a big difference.
Semi-arid terrarium A mostly dry terrarium with a damp hide and a warm spot, kept for leopard geckos and similar grassland or scrub animals. See where it ranks Marginal fit
  • Sellers culture it damp all the way through, so a substrate that stays mostly dry is a poor match.
  • Airflow is medium. This species is usually kept with low airflow.
Arid terrarium A dry, well ventilated desert terrarium with a hot basking spot, kept for bearded dragons and similar animals. See where it ranks Poor fit
  • Sellers culture it damp all the way through, so a substrate that stays dry is a poor match.
  • Airflow is high. This species is usually kept with low airflow, which is a big difference.

Animals that eat springtails mean the springtails need topping up. The explorer shows which species keep up with the animals in your enclosure. Open the compatibility explorer

Natural history and distribution

In trade
Regularly available in North America. As of Oct 22, 2026. Anecdotal 2
Springtails US listed it as in stock on 22 October 2026. Anecdotal 2

Taxonomy and naming history

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. Anecdotal 1, 3
Colour patterns are a known problem for telling Isotomurus species apart, and no check of this culture against the setae or DNA was found. Unknown Open question Is the Green Water culture the species *Isotomurus louisiana* or a close one?

The sources disagree about this name

  • The Checklist accepts Isotomurus louisiana
  • GBIF accepts Isotomurus louisiana

How sure the name is

Name type
cf. (compare with) It looks like this species but has not been confirmed. cf. does not confirm a name.
Compared with
Isotomurus louisiana
Confidence
Tentative A best guess that needs checking.
Evidence for the name
Body form, checked by an expert
Stability
Under active research Researchers are still working out what this is.
Review
Reviewed by a curator

GBIF lists Isotomurus cf. louisiana (Scott, 1962). Checked Oct 22, 2026.

Classification

Trade and hobby names

Trade names are not taxonomy. Each one is a label that sellers use, with its own page.

Name Kind How likely
Green Water Springtail Trade name Likely
Isotomurus retardatus Historical label Likely
Green Water Trade name Tentative

Names used

Name Relationship Author Note
Isotomurus retardatus Historical trade identification The earlier label. The seller says the old identification was difficult to acquire. 1

Open questions and sources

Open questions

  • Is the Green Water culture the species *Isotomurus louisiana* or a close one?

    Identification Needs a specialist

    Why it matters. Colour pattern is a known problem for separating species of Isotomurus. The seller kept cf. on the name for that reason.

    What would help. Slide-mounted adults checked against setae characters, with a COI barcode.

  • 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

    Major Springtail Hobby Identification Updates (2026)

    Pavy R. 2026. Springtails US

    Link works · Retailer

    Cited at Isotomurus retardatus Green Water Springtail.

  2. 2

    Springtail Care Sheet

    Springtails US

    Link works · Retailer

    Cited at Isotomurus cf. louisiana entry.

  3. 3

    Springtail Identification and Common Name Resource

    Pavy R. Springtails US

    Link works · Retailer

    Cited at Green Water Springtail Isotomurus retardatus.

  4. 4

    Biology of the Springtails (Insecta: Collembola)

    Hopkin SP. 1997. Oxford University Press

    Verified against a registry · Specialist monograph

    Cited at chapter on external morphology.

  5. 5

    Checklist of the Collembola of the World

    Bellinger PF, Christiansen KA, Janssens F

    Link works · Authoritative database

    Cited at Introduction, external anatomy and morphology.

Spotted a mistake or know a better source?

Page data reviewed Oct 22, 2026