Identification, Images, & Information
For Insects, Spiders & Their Kin
For the United States & Canada
Clickable Guide
Moths Butterflies Flies Caterpillars Flies Dragonflies Flies Mantids Cockroaches Bees and Wasps Walkingsticks Earwigs Ants Termites Hoppers and Kin Hoppers and Kin Beetles True Bugs Fleas Grasshoppers and Kin Ticks Spiders Scorpions Centipedes Millipedes

Calendar

TaxonomyBrowseInfoImagesLinksBooksData
Photo#135633
Marine Collembola - Anurida maritima

Marine Collembola - Anurida maritima
Bailey Island, Cumberland County, Maine, USA
August 8, 2007
Size: 2.6 mm
Alcohol-fixed specimen from seaweed. Ventral view showing absence of furca (a non-springing springtail... how sad). Probably Anurida maritima to be confirmed by Frans.

Moved
Moved from Neanuridae.

Anurida maritima, indeed.
Anurida (derived from 'having-no-tail'). A springtail without a springing tail, indeed.

This ventral view shows some interesting morphological characters of Collembola:
1. the collophore or ventral tube, of which the name Collembola is derived. ALL Collembola have a collophore. You can see it here just behind the 3rd pair of legs.
2. the abscence of external mouthparts. The mouthparts are located within a 'gnathal pouch'. This condition is called 'entognathy'.
3. the 'linea ventralis'. The ventral line running from the mouth to the collophore. This organ transports a urine-like liquid secreted by two labial kidneys to the surface of the collophore, where it is partly recovered and partly exchanged with the water surface film.

BTW, Anurida maritima does jump! When on a water surface, a specimen may use its collophore to anchor itself to the water surface (the collophore then acts as a sucking device). It may then bend its head and terminal segment towards the water surface. This creates a kind of bump in the water surface film. When the collophore releases the water film suddenly, the specimen is projected into the air!
Using this technique asymmetrically (e.g. bending only the head), Anurida maritima can also scate over the water surface film without moving its legs!
Do not underestimate the creativity of Anurida maritima, even without having a furca ;-)

 
Outstanding!
Exceptional pictures of Anurida maritima and a fascinating comment!

 
Anurida
Thanks. It appears you and I have the same equipment (65mm Canon with twin flash). It certainly allows for excellent macros and Frans' commentary is really first-class. Also thanks for moving these to a new page!

Comment viewing options
Select your preferred way to display the comments and click 'Save settings' to activate your changes.