Order Symphypleona - Globular Springtails

Symphypleona Börner 1901

Body oval or somewhat globular. Basal abdominal segments more or less fused (1).

"Abdominal segmentation dorsally indistinct. Antennae longer than head. Body size usually more than 0.7 mm. Eyes usually present. Trunk usually subglobular. Trunk distinctly subglobular. Trunk usually consisting of a large subglobular unit terminated by a much smaller unit."(2)

"All Collembola have a ventral tube. From this tube they can everse two 'sacs'. In Symphypleona, these sacs are evolved into long tubes. These eversible tubes are multifunctional organs. They are used to regulate the internal osmotic pressure by taking up water with the tips of the eversed sacs/tubes. They are also used as an aid to adhere themselves on a smooth substrate surface. This was obseverd by the first zoologists that described Collembola, hence the name colla = sticky glue and embolon = plug/pin. In Symphypleona the long eversible tubes are also used for grooming." Frans Janssens. See:

(Original page as suborder contributed by Tony DiTerlizzi, edited by Beatriz Moisset.)