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Photo#1031406
Unknown Collembola - Salina banksi

Unknown Collembola - Salina banksi
Naples , Collier County, Florida, USA
December 19, 2014
Size: 1.5 mm
This springtail was collected in leaf litter under a citrus tree in an abandoned citrus grove that have evolved into a cabbage palm / oak hammock.

Moved

Salina banksi

 
I thought the shape
and eyes looked somewhat like Salina banks, but it didn't seem to have any scale cover color at all. That really threw me off. Is this another juvenile, or is this one that just lost its entire scale cover?


 
Salina does not
have a scale cover. Not all Collembola have scales. Scales are typically found in Tomoceridae, Lepidocyrtinae, Cyphoderinae and many Paronellinae, but not in Salina.
Salina banksi may grow up to 2mm bodylength. So this specimen is a subadult.

 
Thanks so much for the information.
I am learning so much from you. So, if this family doesn't have scales, what is creating the pigmentation spots on the adult that you identified earlier?

 
In the subfamily Paronellinae
are species without scales and species with scales. Salina belongs to the group without scales. The scale-less species are gathered in the tribe Cremastocephalini. See www.collembola.org for an overview.
The scales are transparant and are colourless to faint brown (in microscopy). In alive specimens the colour is metallic due to iridisation effects of the fine structure of the scales.
The pigmentation spots on the body are caused by pigmentation cells in the epidermis layer just below the cuticula. This is the intrinsic colouration. The intrinsic colouration can be seen in microscopy and/or in alive specimens in scaleless specimens. In scaled specimens with intact scale cover the intrinsic colour cannot be seen in alive specimens due to iridisation of the scales.

 
I appreciate
the explanation. The more I learn from you about springtails, the more I am amazed with the details of their structures.

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