Comments | urbpan: 365 Urban Species. #333: Globular springtail

urbpan

365 Urban Species. #333: Globular springtail

Nov 29, 2006 19:13

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collembolans, 365 urban species, springtails, animals, globular springtail, sminthurids

Comments 8

karma_apple November 30 2006, 00:42:56 UTC

Yay Collembola! Aren't they neat? :D

phlogiston_5 November 30 2006, 01:18:36 UTC

Sminthurids are right up there with weevils on the arthropod cuteness scale. Great shots!

badnoodles November 30 2006, 01:49:13 UTC

To me, Sminthurids have always looked like little arthropodan bunny rabbits.

And as to how exactly the archaeognathans (Protura, Collembola, and Diplura) are related to the insects is currently a matter of great debate - whether they are different classes, different subclasses, or the same, or perhaps some of them aren't.

I dunno. They're funky little critters, certainly.

signsoflife November 30 2006, 02:49:29 UTC

Heh. I was going to take exception to the reference to the statement that they branched off at the same time as the crustaceans from a different angle -- my understanding (for which read: "what they say in Brusca and Brusca") is that Crustecea itself appears on molecular evidence to be strikingly polyphyletic -- the chelicerates, myriapods and hexapods may be contained WITHIN the crustaceans.

And, um, what's up with that monkey?

wirrrn November 30 2006, 04:18:25 UTC

Hey,

Keen Springtails. Collembolans are so cute- All round and bouncy!

Recently, one of the species of Trapjaw Ant that feeds on them (their huge jaws are perpetually open with a literal hair-trigger that snaps shut on the springtail before the brain even registers the prey's presence!) was clocked at having the fastest predatory reflex in nature!

LIFE IN THE UNDERGROWTH is awesome. Sir David Attenborough is one of my personal heroes...
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mellawyrden November 30 2006, 04:35:43 UTC

This is adorable!! I never knew such a thing existed. Thank you for this post! :)