Which Springtail?

Melus · #1 (**permalink**) 15-01-2010, 10:13 AM

Hi

I noticed lots of Springtails on top of the snow yesterday and have been trying to ID them since. It was taken from an area under Oak and Silver Birch and photographed under a stereo microscope. Sorry for the poor image quality but I am hoping someone out there can help me ID it. I have checked several threads and spent hours trawling the web but can't come up with an ID.

Regards
Melus

Jason Green · #2 (**permalink**) 15-01-2010, 11:16 AM

Hi Melus,

I'm not too sure either! It looks rather like a Tomocerus sp., such as T. minor - I'm just not too sure about the antennal length. What microscope/magnification are you using? They're great shots. I have a 20x Apex stereo-microscope.

Take care,

Jason

JRsbugs · #3 (**permalink**) 15-01-2010, 11:32 AM

Looks much like some I have pics of, which I think are Isotoma viridis.

Janet

Dogghound · #4 (**permalink**) 15-01-2010, 11:39 AM

The antenna are to short for Tomocerus. I would suggest Isotoma I. anglicana or I. viridis you need a closer look at microscopic features of the manubrium to seperate these two species.

Melus · #5 (**permalink**) 15-01-2010, 02:25 PM

Many thanks for the quick response.
Having had another look at the specimen I can state it looks more like Isotoma anglicana than Isotoma viridis when compared to images on the net.

This might sound daft Dogghound but I imagine for an individual to check the microscopic features of the manubrum they would have to have specialist knowledge and a decent microscope, baring this in mind do you know of an institution where I can send the specimen to confirm the ID. I have a compound microscope but have no idea what to look for.

Jason the images where taken at a magnification of 10 and 30x with a MX-6T stereo microscope from Brunel Microscopes. The problem with taking the photographs through the single eyepiece is that the image is mono rather than stereo

JRsbugs · #6 (**permalink**) 15-01-2010, 02:31 PM

There's a lot of pics to compare on this site, but as Dogg says you would probably need to be able to separate the two..

Checklist of the Collembola of the World

The person who took over from Steve Hopkin would prabably look at it..go to the 'contact us' link.

UK Collembola taxonomy and ecology

Melus · #7 (**permalink**) 15-01-2010, 06:07 PM

Thanks Janet

I will send the specimen off to Dr Peter Shaw at Roehampton University, thats if I can find the Isopropanol.

If I get a positive ID I will post the results

Thanks again for all the advice and replies to all concerned

Gary