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Photo#1046085
Unknown Springtail - Salina beta

Unknown Springtail - Salina beta
Naples, Collier County, Florida, USA
March 4, 2015
Size: 1.75 mm
This springtail was living in leaf litter under a sand live oak (Quercus geminata) tree in an oak scrub. It was isolated from the litter by using a Berlese Funnel.

Images of this individual: tag all
Unknown Springtail - Salina beta Unknown Springtail - Salina beta Unknown Springtail - Salina beta Unknown Springtail - Salina beta Unknown Springtail - Salina beta Unknown Springtail - Salina beta

Moved
Moved from Entomobrya comparata.

Salina beta it is, then. Another new species for the Guide!

Salina beta
Sorry, Susan and Ken, but I changed my opinion, again...
Still not sure, though.
Susan could you upload a shot in which we can see the shape of the mucro? Requires a larger magnification than for a habitus shot.

 
I did
a bit of research to find out what a mucro is on a springtail. If I am understanding correctly, it is the free tip region of the furcula. I am attaching a close-up of the two tips. If this photo is not clear enough or I misinterpreted what you want, I will be returning to the lab next week and can try again.

Please don't think you need to apologize to me for changing your mind. I certainly appreciate your being so thorough.

 
The mucro...
is the claw-like terminal part of the furca, more precise of the arms (dentes) of the furca. In the uploaded shot the mucrones are not in focus. The mucro of Entomobrya is quite different from that of Salina. In Entombrya it is elongated and toothed (2 teeth: 1 apical and 1 subapical) + a short seta at the base. In Salina it is short (triangular), blunt, no teeth. You have to make a lateral aspect shot. Magnification 100-400x or better ;-)

 
I tried, but
I do not have equipment to be able to magnify more than 45 X. So, I doubt that the two additional photographs I added will be good enough. For now, this is the best I can do without better equipment.

 
Let's try something else then
The dens (= arm of the furca) is different in both genera.
In Entomobrya, the dens is crenulated (kind of unilateral annulation). As such the dens is able to curve when applied to the substrate. It kind of rolls over the substrate.
In Salina, the dens is not crenulated. It cannot be curved.
Try to focus on the apical part of the dens.

 
I will try
to take a better photograph of the apical part of the dens when I return to the lab. In the meantime, if I am looking for the correct thing ... in the fourth photograph above, the dens on the left seems to show annulations.

 
The dens should be in focus...
to be sure. The arrangement in whorls of scales on the dens may look like crenulations. An in focus shot will make it clear.

 
I hope this one works.
This is probably as good as I can get with my equipment (Photo #1048099). I wish I could do better. I think I see crenulations if those are the lines on the dens that seem to indicate segments that get shorter towards the apex of the dens. It looks like these would make the dens pretty flexible in moving over substrate.

 
I do not see any crenulations on the dentes
But I do see a relative large mucro. In Entomobrya it is very small. So I conclude the best match is Salina beta.

 
Thank you Frans.
You are the best.

 
Ok!
I'll try to do that this week.

Moved tentatively

Entomobrya comparata
seems to be the best match. But not 100% ;-)

 
Wow!
That's another new one for me. I'm hitting the jackpot, but I wouldn't know it at all without your fantastic help!!

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