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Entomobryoidea

(Superfamily)

Overview

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The Entomobryoidea are a superfamily of springtails (Collembola), tiny hexapods related to insects. In the modern sense, this group is placed in an order called Entomobryomorpha.

This superfamily contains very characteristic species of springtails. They typically possess long legs and antennae, as well as a well-developed furcula.

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The Entomobryoidea in the old sense ? now Entomobryomorpha ? were united with the Poduroidea (now Poduromorpha) in a group called "Arthropleona", but this has more recently turned out to be paraphyletic. Actually the Entomobryomorpha, the Poduromorpha, and the third springtaill lineage ? the Symphypleona ? are equally distinct from each other. Their treatment at equal taxonomic rank reflects this.[1]

Following a 2008 review of the Entomobryomorpha[2] , the Cyphoderidae are demoted to a subfamily of the Paronellidae. Apart from the three living families, there are also two extinct ones known only from fossils.

Footnotes

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  1. ^ See references in Haaramo (2008)
  2. ^ Soto-Adames et al. (2008)
he Entomobryoidea are a superfamily of springtails (Collembola), tiny hexapods related to insects. In the modern sense, this group is placed in an order called Entomobryomorpha.

This superfamily contains very characteristic species of springtails. They typically possess long legs and antennae, as well as a well-develo ped furcula.

[ Back to top ]

The Entomobryoidea in the old sense ? now Entomobryomorpha ? were united with the Poduroidea (now Poduromorpha) in a group called "Arthropleona", but this has more recently turned out to be paraphyletic. Actually the Entomobryomorpha, the Poduromorpha, and the third springtaill lineage ? the Symphypleona ? are equally distinct from each other. Their treatment at equal taxonomic rank reflects this.[1]

Following a 2008 review of the Entomobryomorpha[2], the Cyphoderidae are demoted to a subfamily of the Paronellidae. Apart from the three living families, there are also two extinct ones known only from fossils.

Footnotes

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  1. ^ See references in Haaramo (2008)
  2. ^ Soto-Adames et al. (2008)

References

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Taxonomy

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The Superfamily Entomobryoidea is further organized into finer groupings including:

Families

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Cyphoderidae

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Entomobryidae

The family Entomobryidae contains the so-called "slender springtails", a group of springtails characterised as having an enlarged fourth abdominal segment and a well-developed furcula. Species in this family may be heavily scaled and can be very colorful. The scale-less Entomobryas are commonly caught in pitfall traps around the planet, and also occur in canopy faunas high up in trees (notably , very common throughout Europe if not the northern hemisphere). [more]

Paronellidae

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At least 19 species and subspecies belong to the Family Paronellidae.

More info about the Family Paronellidae may be found here.

References

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Sources

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Last Revised: August 24, 2012
2012/08/24 13:20:28