Turns+Out+Tigger+Wasn't+The+Only+One

=The Tigger Hexapods: Collembola=

[[image:fieldzoologyuvm/Springtail cover.jpg width="486" height="315" align="right" caption="Fig1: Orchesella flavescens a springtail native to the UK and Ireland"]]
Bouncy, Trouncy, Flouncy, Pouncey. The Spring Tails.

Introduction
The Spring Tails have a variety of different characteristics that place them outside of Insecta. Two other orders, Diplura and Protura, fall outside of Insecta but inside of hexapoda. All three orders are united by internal mouthparts but there is growing evidence that the three orders evolved independently from each other and are a polyphyletic group. It is unclear where Collembola truly fits inside hexapoda [ 1 ]. They are very common all over the world and are a major food source for many insects [ 2 ].

Identification and Biology[[image:fieldzoologyuvm/springtails scale.jpg align="right"]]
Collembola has a number of synapomorphies that make them easy to identify if you have a hand lens. They are generally small, much less than a centimeter, hence the need for a hand lens or microscope. They are peculiar and morphologically diverse. They are aptly named springtails as a specialized set of organs located at the rear of the creature allow it to spring away from predators. A set of “tails” called furca fold under the body and attach to a little latch called the tenaculum [ 2 ]. Moving towards the head a specialized “tube” called the collophore comes out of the frist abdominal segment. The collophore gives the springtails their latin name, Collembola which translates into glue peg [ 2 ]. While most Collembola have fulcra and tenaculum all Collembola have a collophore[ 3 ]. While the glue peg allows the spring tails to stick to otherwise slippery objects its primary functions are water uptake, excretion, and grooming [ 2 ].

Mating is done with no genitalia contact. Instead the male lays sperm packets down for the female to collect. This has led to creative mating rituals where the male with strategically place sperm packets around a female to try and force her into contact with one 2].

Habitat
Since Collembola is such a huge group there is a springtail for just about every environment. Cryptopygus antarcticus has colonized the soils of Antarctica. Springtails have been called the most abundant insect in the world; this might be true if it were only an insect, it might however be the most abundant hexapod in the world [ 4 ]. Some springtails are generalist and can be found in many different environments from fields to forests while others are specialist and require a specific forest and soil types [ 2 ]. These Collembola that require specific habitats are at risk from human development. They are slow moving creatures and large developments and changes in the environment could mean the end to a localized species population.

Related Readings and Webpages
www.youtube.com/watch?v=OwOL-MHcQ1w [|www.nhm.ac.uk/resources-rx/files/35feat_springtails_most_abundent-3056.pdf]

Figures
Fig1- By Steve Hopkin from www.stevehopkin.co.uk/collembolagallery/ Fig2- By unknown from store.doyourownpestcontrol.com/crawling-insects/springtail-control-products Fig3- By unknown from www.colonialpest.com/booklice-and-springtails/