Elongate-bodied Springtail vs Earwig Scorpionfly

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Elongate-bodied Springtail Earwig Scorpionfly
Scientific Name Folsomia candida Merope tuber
Order Collembola Mecoptera
Family Isotomidae Meropeidae
Size 0.5-1.5 mm 10-12 mm
Habitat Caves Forests
Diet Detritivores Detritivores
Regions Worldwide North America
Conservation Least Concern Data Deficient

Elongate-bodied Springtail

A white eyeless springtail commonly found in soil and cave environments worldwide. It is the most widely used springtail in laboratory ecotoxicology.

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Did You Know?

It reproduces by parthenogenesis and is a standard test organism in soil toxicology.

Earwig Scorpionfly

An extremely rare and primitive scorpionfly with forcep-like cerci reminiscent of earwigs. It is nocturnal and found in leaf litter of old-growth eastern North American forests.

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Did You Know?

Merope tuber is so rarely encountered that its biology and ecology remain largely mysterious despite being described over 150 years ago.