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Poduromorpha · Onychiuridae

Thalassaphorura encarpata

A small white springtail that lives in soil.A small white springtail sold as the Little Soil Springtail, keyed to species by Dr. Ernest Bernard after years as an unnamed Onychiurinae. Anecdotal 1

Also sold or known as

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 Thalassaphorura encarpata, 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
Easy Anecdotal 2
Growth
Fast Anecdotal 2
Best enclosures
Closed tropical terrarium, Temperate woodland vivarium, Isopod tub 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.

Character What it looks like Needs
Body form Short and plump The body is short, broad and grub-like with a rounded outline. / Slim tube The body is a smooth tube with segments you can see, and shorter antennae and legs. Varies Inherited: Poduromorpha 3 Naked eye
Scales No scales The body has no scales, only skin and bristles. Inherited: Poduromorpha 3, 4 Hand loupe
Antenna length Shorter than half the body The antennae are short and stubby, clearly less than half the body length. Inherited: Poduromorpha 4 Phone macro
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
Eyes No eyes The head has no dark eyespots. Inherited: Onychiurinae 4 Phone macro
Jumping organ Absent No forked organ sits under the abdomen, and the animal does not spring. Inherited: Onychiurinae 4 Hand loupe
6 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
  • Mouth shape
  • Spines on the tail end

Identify an animal you have

Answer in any order, with the kit you have.

Husbandry and breeding

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

Foods

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

Substrates

  • Peat-based soil Excellent 2
  • Calcium clay Excellent 2

The evidence in detail

Springtails US rates it Beginner 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 soil or clay. It advises moist substrate with minimal ventilation, and soil for the highest reproduction rate. The seller uses clay for this species. 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

Used as
Clean-up crew Anecdotal 6, 7

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.
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 Good 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.

Set by a curator: Springtails US lists it among its top picks for the wet end of an isopod enclosure, where it pairs with a Lepidocyrtus that roams the dry end. 7

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 Good 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.

Set by a curator: Springtails US lists Onychiurinae sp. LSS, the old label for this stock, among species proven with potted plants, best in soil that stays damp. 6

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.
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 waited years for a species name. Samples sent to collembologist Dr. Ernest Bernard were keyed to Thalassaphorura encarpata, replacing Onychiurinae sp. 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 Thalassaphorura encarpata (Denis, 1931). 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
Little Soil Springtail Common name Likely
Little Soil Springtail Common name Strongly supported

Names used

Name Relationship Author Note
Onychiurinae sp. Historical trade identification The earlier subfamily-level label, also written Onychiurinae sp. LSS. 1

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. 1

    Springtail Identification and Common Name Resource

    Pavy R. Springtails US

    Link works · Retailer

    Cited at Little Soil Springtail Onychiurinae sp.

  2. 2

    Springtail Care Sheet

    Springtails US

    Link works · Retailer

    Cited at Thalassaphorura encarpata entry.

  3. 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. 4

    The Collembola of Fennoscandia and Denmark. Part I: Poduromorpha

    Fjellberg A. 1998. Brill

    Verified against a registry · Specialist monograph

    Cited at introduction; Onychiuridae.

  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.

  6. 6

    Potted Plant Springtails

    Springtails US

    Link works · Retailer

    Cited at species list.

  7. 7

    Springtails for Isopods

    Springtails US

    Link works · Retailer

    Cited at cleanup crew picks.

Spotted a mistake or know a better source?

Page data reviewed Oct 22, 2026