Poduromorph Springtail (subclass Collembola)

Springtails encompass a group of very small animals closely related to insects. They typically live in the soil and are important indicators of soil quality in forests. They are called springtails because of a unique structure at the end of their abdomen known as a furcula that can be flicked against the ground to launch themselves into the air as a form of evasion and locomotion. They also possess a flexible tube structure known as a collophore that is most likely used for liquid uptake as well as a way to anchor themselves and flip themselves back over after jumping. They almost always act as detritivores in their ecosystems, consuming leaf litter, dead fungi, and animal remains. There are three major body types of springtails - the stout, segmented Poduromorpha; the long, lanky Entomobryomorpha; and the spherical Symphypleona.