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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Springtails and allies (Collembola) » Globular Springtails (Symphypleona) » Sminthurididae » Sminthurides » Sminthurides bifidus
Photo#2305782
Collembola; Symphypleona; Sminthurides; S. bifidus? - Sminthurides bifidus - male - female
Copyright © 2023 kneubauer

Collembola; Symphypleona; Sminthurides; S. bifidus? - Sminthurides bifidus - Male Female
Avondale, Maricopa County, Arizona, USA
October 17, 2023
Size: 1 and <1 mm
On a waterlily flower bud in a freshwater garden pond at 4:05 p.m. Male and female in an antennae lock; courtship. A first new entry for Arizona on the data map.

Images of this individual: tag all
Collembola; Symphypleona; Sminthurides; S. bifidus? - Sminthurides bifidus - male - female Collembola; Symphypleona; Sminthurides; S. bifidus? - Sminthurides bifidus - male - female Collembola; Symphypleona; Sminthurides; S. bifidus? - Sminthurides bifidus - male - female Collembola; Symphypleona; Sminthurides; S. bifidus? - Sminthurides bifidus - male - female Collembola; Symphypleona; Sminthurides; S. bifidus? - Sminthurides bifidus - male - female
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Contributed by kneubauer on 17 October, 2023 - 7:40pm
Last updated 20 December, 2023 - 11:39am

Moved
Moved from Springtails and allies.
… Ken Wolgemuth, 18 October, 2023 - 11:56am login or register to post comments

Sminthurides bifidus
Indeed. The male is the upper one.
… Frans Janssens, 18 October, 2023 - 11:02am login or register to post comments

 
Frans Janssens
Does it appear that the female in these images is about to molt, based on the milky coloring?
… kneubauer, 19 December, 2023 - 1:21pm login or register to post comments

 
No
The specimens of bifidus usually have a white longitudinal lateral band. Best visible in females given they are larger. When/if a female is going to moult she will put down the male. The male then will release the female from his clasping antennae but will stay close to protect her against advances of other males. She will moult. He 'surrounds' her with very short spermatophores. He may 'help' her by pushing her in the direction of the spermatophores. Which she will take up. So it will be difficult to actually see any spermatophores of Sminthurides. They are gone before you know it ;-)
… Frans Janssens, 20 December, 2023 - 8:38am login or register to post comments

 
Wow!
fascinating tiny creatures. Thank you for the explanation.
… kneubauer, 3 January, 2024 - 4:10pm login or register to post comments

 
Thank you,
Frans Janssens
… kneubauer, 18 October, 2023 - 1:48pm login or register to post comments

Moved
Moved from ID Request.
… Ken Wolgemuth, 17 October, 2023 - 8:01pm login or register to post comments

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