Fundamentals of Entomology

Order: Collembola

Synonyms : Oligentoma, Oligoentomata
Etymology : coll-glue; embol - wedge or peg.
Common names : Spring tail, Snow flea
Characters
They are minute insects. Body is globose or tubular. Compound eyes are absent. One to several pairs of lateral ocelli form an eye patch. Antenna is four segmented. Mouthparts are entognathous biting type and found within a pouch. Tibia is fused with tarsus to form tibio-tarsus. They are primarily wingless. Abdomen is six segmented with there medially situated pregenital appendages.
Ventral tube or Collophore or Glue peg: It is a bilobed adhesive organ found on the first abdominal sternite. It is beleived to be associated with respiration, adhesion and water absorption.
Hamula or Tenaculum or Retinaculum: It is present on the third abdominal sternite. It consists of a fused basal piece, corpus and free distal part called rami. It holds the furcula.
Furcula or Springing organ: It consists of a basal manubrium, paried dens and distal claws called mucro. It is held under tension beneath the abdomen by retinaculum when at rest.
Malpighian tubules, tracheal system and metamorphosis usually absent.
Importance
Sminthurus viridis is a pest on alfalfa. It can be collected from moist places in soil. They are also found in mushroom houses as a pest.