Sminthurinus quadrimaculatus

A small round springtail.A globular springtail whose species name means four-spotted. Springtails US has not sold it under another name. Anecdotal 1

Also sold or known as

Four-spotted Globular

This page is partly filled in

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

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: Hard Anecdotal 2
Growth: Slow 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: Strongly supported Stable How sure we are

Not recorded yet: Size, Temperature, Air humidity.

Identification

Characters to check

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

4 Characters to check
Character	What it looks like	Needs
Body form	Round like a bead The body is round and bead-like and the trunk segments cannot be told apart. Inherited: Symphypleona 3, 4	Naked eye
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 4	Stereo microscope
Mouth shape	Blunt mouth The mouth is blunt and the head is rounded in front. Inherited: Symphypleona 3	Hand loupe
Spines on the tail end	No spines The last abdominal segment has no spines. Inherited: Symphypleona 3	Stereo microscope

9 characters have no record yet

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

Body length
Main colour
Colour pattern
Surface texture
Scales
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 Hard
Growth Slow
Yield Low

Airflow: Low Anecdotal 2

Foods

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

Substrates

Peat-based soil Excellent 2
Plain plaster Good 2

The evidence in detail

Springtails US rates it Intermediate plus level. Anecdotal 2

Model assumption Springtails US scores its reproduction rate 4 out of 10. The site reads that as slow growth and a low yield. Anecdotal 2

Springtails US cultures it on soil or plaster. It advises moist substrate with minimal ventilation, and soil for the highest reproduction rate. Anecdotal 2

Feed once or twice a week with a springtail food mix, brewer's yeast, another yeast or fish food. 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.

Fit by enclosure type
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

Springtails US says it has not been sold under another name. Anecdotal 1

How sure the name is

Name type: Exact name The name has been matched against the published description.
Confidence: Strongly supported Several lines of evidence agree.
Evidence for the name: Body form, checked by an expert
Stability: Stable Sources agree and the name has not moved in years.
Review: Reviewed by a curator

GBIF lists Sminthurinus quadrimaculatus (Ryder, 1878). 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.

Trade and hobby names
Name	Kind	How likely
Four-spotted Globular	Common name	Probable

External records

Open questions and sources

Open questions

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

Springtail Identification and Common Name Resource

Pavy R. Springtails US

Link works · Retailer

Cited at hobby name list, Sminthurinus quadrimaculatus.
2

Springtail Care Sheet

Springtails US

Link works · Retailer

Cited at Sminthurinus quadrimaculatus entry.
3

Biology of the Springtails (Insecta: Collembola)

Hopkin SP. 1997. Oxford University Press

Verified against a registry · Specialist monograph

Cited at chapter on external morphology.
4

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

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