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Entomobryomorpha · Entomobryidae

Willowsia neonigromaculata

A small, pale springtail with violet marks. It was split from a common species in 2021.A small scaled springtail with violet marks, described in 2021 as a hidden species within what used to be called Willowsia nigromaculata. Peer-reviewed 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 Willowsia neonigromaculata, drawn from sourced body proportions. It is a drawing, not a photograph.
Drawing

At a glance

Size
1.5–1.9 mm Adult. Peer-reviewed 1
Difficulty
Hard Anecdotal 2
Growth
Moderate Anecdotal 2
Best enclosures
Arid terrarium, Semi-arid terrarium A model estimate from the ranges on this page. See every enclosure type
In trade
Occasionally available As of Oct 22, 2026. Anecdotal 2
Identification
Strongly supported Recently revised How sure we are

Not recorded yet: Temperature, Air humidity.

Three specimens measured 1.51 to 1.85 mm from head to the end of the trunk. Peer-reviewed 1

Identification

Pale yellowish white with violet marks on the antennae, the sides of the head and the edges of the body segments.Specimens were pale yellowish white with violet pigment on the outer half of all antennal segments, the sides of the head and the margins of the second thoracic to second abdominal segments. The third abdominal segment has one crossband that widens at the sides, and the fourth has an irregular side spot and a weak central spot. The eye patches are black. Peer-reviewed 1
Scales cover the top of the head, thorax and abdomen. The antennae, underside of the head, legs and furca have no scales. Peer-reviewed 1
There are 8+8 eyes, with the first two larger and the last two smaller. Peer-reviewed 1
The antennae are shorter than the trunk. The fourth antennal segment is not divided into rings. Peer-reviewed 1

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 Long and slim The body is long and slim with clearly visible segments, long antennae and long legs. / Slim tube The body is a smooth tube with segments you can see, and shorter antennae and legs. Varies Inherited: Entomobryomorpha 3 Naked eye
Body length 1 to 2 mm About as long as the width of a pencil lead. 1 Naked eye
Main colour White or cream Pale with no strong tint. 1 Naked eye
Colour pattern Crossbands Dark or pale bands run across the body from side to side. / Spots or mottling Spots, flecks or cloudy patches without a clear order. Varies 1 Naked eye
Scales Scales present The body is covered in flat scales that give a shimmer or a tiled look. 1 Hand loupe
Antenna length Shorter than half the body The antennae are short and stubby, clearly less than half the body length. / Half the body to the whole body The antennae are between half the body length and about as long as the body. Varies 1 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 4 Stereo microscope
Eyes Eyes present Dark eye patches sit on both sides of the head. 1 Phone macro
Eye count Eight Eight dots in each eye patch, the most a springtail can have. 1 Stereo microscope
Mouth shape Blunt mouth The mouth is blunt and the head is rounded in front. Inherited: Entomobryomorpha 3 Hand loupe
Spines on the tail end No spines The last abdominal segment has no spines. Inherited: Entomobryomorpha 3 Stereo microscope
2 characters have no record yet

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

  • Surface texture
  • Jumping organ

Identify an animal you have

Answer in any order, with the kit you have.

Husbandry and breeding

  • Difficulty Hard
  • Growth Moderate
  • Yield Moderate
Airflow
High Anecdotal 2
Moisture gradient
Keep about 75% of the substrate dry. Anecdotal 2

Foods

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

Substrates

  • Peat-based soil Good 2

The evidence in detail

Springtails US rates it Intermediate plus level. Anecdotal 2
Model assumption Springtails US scores its reproduction rate 5 out of 10. The site reads that as moderate growth and a moderate yield. Anecdotal 2
Springtails US cultures it on soil. It advises a moisture gradient with about 75% of the substrate dry, plus a large amount of ventilation on the dry side. 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.

Enclosure type Fit Why
Arid terrarium A dry, well ventilated desert terrarium with a hot basking spot, kept for bearded dragons and similar animals. See where it ranks Good fit
  • Sellers culture it with 75% of the substrate dry, which suits a substrate that stays dry.
  • Airflow is high, which is what this species is kept with.
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 Good fit
  • Sellers culture it with 75% of the substrate dry, which suits a substrate that stays mostly dry.
  • Airflow is medium. This species is usually kept with high 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 with 75% of the substrate dry. A substrate that stays damp is only a partial match.
  • Airflow is high, which is what this species is kept with.
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 with 75% of the substrate dry. A substrate that stays damp is only a partial match.
  • Airflow is medium. This species is usually kept with high 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 with 75% of the substrate dry. A substrate that stays damp is only a partial match.
  • Airflow is medium. This species is usually kept with high airflow.
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 Marginal fit
  • Sellers culture it with 75% of the substrate dry, so a substrate that stays wet is a poor match.
  • Airflow is medium. This species is usually kept with high airflow.
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 Marginal fit
  • Sellers culture it with 75% of the substrate dry, so a substrate that stays wet is a poor match.
  • Airflow is low. This species is usually kept with high 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

Regions
North America Peer-reviewed 1
Found in
Inside a house, A bought culture, An enclosure Peer-reviewed 1
In trade
Occasionally available in North America. As of Oct 22, 2026. Anecdotal 2
The type material is from Illinois, USA, and includes animals collected by a kitchen sink. A barcode from Brockville, Canada also falls in this group. The older name W. nigromaculata is among the most abundant and widely distributed springtails and is a common household pest across the northern hemisphere. Peer-reviewed 1
Springtails US listed it as not in stock on 22 October 2026. Anecdotal 2

Taxonomy and naming history

Warning Animals sold or filed as Willowsia nigromaculata in North America may be this species instead.Animals called Willowsia nigromaculata from the United States and from France turned out to be two species. DNA differences within the old name reach 13.5 percent, with a clear gap between two groups. Differences in setae and in the number of inner appendages on the maxillary sublobal plate, three here and two in the French species, separate them. A phylogeny suggests both may occur in Canada. Peer-reviewed 1
Springtails US lists a Willowsia neonigromaculata and a Willowsia buski. No published check of those cultures against the 2021 description was found. Unknown Open question Which *Willowsia* species are the hobby cultures?

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 and DNA
Stability
Recently revised The name or its genus changed recently.
Review
Reviewed by a curator

GBIF lists Willowsia neonigromaculata Katz AD & Cipola NG, 2021. 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
Willowsia neonigromaculata Trade name Probable

Open questions and sources

Open questions

  • Which *Willowsia* species are the hobby cultures?

    Identification Needs a specialist

    Why it matters. Animals filed under Willowsia nigromaculata in North America may be Willowsia neonigromaculata, a species split off in 2021. Hobby lists name Willowsia buski and Willowsia neonigromaculata.

    What would help. Slide-mounted adults compared with the 2021 description, in particular the inner appendages on the maxillary sublobal plate, and a COI barcode.

    Cipola and Katz 2021 on Willowsia

  • 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

    Morphological and molecular analysis of Willowsia nigromaculata (Collembola, Entomobryidae, Entomobryinae) reveals a new cryptic species from the United States

    Cipola NG, Katz AD. 2021. European Journal of Taxonomy 739: 92-116

    Verified against a registry · Peer-reviewed paper

    Cited at Abstract; Description, Length; Description, Length and colour; Results, characters shared by both species; Results, characters shared by both species; Description; Abstract and Material examined; Abstract and Genetic analysis.

  2. 2

    Springtail Care Sheet

    Springtails US

    Link works · Retailer

    Cited at Willowsia neonigromaculata 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

    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