This resource will be updated continuously as new species enter the hobby and new identifactions/common name changes arise.
There are three categories for name changes: "Scientific name changes," "Common name changes," and "Species plus common name changes."
After these three categories is a list of species in hobbyist culture with their most up to date info and a list of all names they go under.
Scientific name changes:
"Orange Springtails" Bilobella braunerae>Protanura sp>Yuukianura aphoruroides
So called Bilobella braunerae first entered my possession in February of 2022. I sent a series of macro shots to Frans Janssens of collembola.org and he identified them as Protanura sp. Following higher resolution images he determined them to likely be the closely related Yuukianura aphoruroides, a species which came from the Philippines into Europe via earthworm cultures. Microscopic analysis confirmed the ID. Yuukianura aphoruroides is the definitive ID for all springtails previously sold as Billobella or Protanura. I have yet to see evidence of real Bilobella being commercialized anywhere in the world.
This species also go by the common names "Spanish Orange Springtail" "Asian Orange Springtail" and "Cheeto Springtail" but are all the same species from the same original stock.
See entries under the names "Pavy, R" "Chung, W.K.H" "Cheng, H.-J." https://collembola.org/taxa/neaninae.htm#Yuukianura
(This species is not to be confused with Neanura growae "Florida Orange" who has not been plagued with misidentification issues since entering the hobby)
"Tropical Pink/White Springtails" Sinella curviseta>Coecobrya sp
"Tropical" springtails go by two common names (white and pink) but through my microscopic analysis I have seen no evidence that they are distinct species. It gets confused though as sometimes Folsomia candida are sold as "tropical white." Tropical white/pink springtails have been in the hobby for years under the name Sinella but were shown to be Coecobrya under scrutiny. At least one population from hobbyist culture has proven to be Coecobrya communis while my own population has been speculated to be Coecobrya tenebricosa but has not been definitively proven. As of now Springtails US culture is under the name C. cf. tenebricosa pending more rigorous analysis.
With certainty we can state that Sinella curviseta is not the proper name of the widespread species in the hobby. They are in fact Coecobrya. I have yet to see evidence of true S. curviseta being in hobbyist culture.
For proof of ID as well as to see the difficulty in obtaining a true identification see https://bugguide.net/node/view/2220872/bgimage
"Globular Cave Springtails" Arrhopalitidae sp>Arrhopalites caecus
Arrhopalites caecus were intruduced to the hobby by myself in December of 2021 as Arrhopalitidae sp. I later got them to species level through microscopic analysis.
This species also goes by the common name "White Globular Springtail" but are all the same species from the same original stock.
Identification confirmed at https://bugguide.net/node/view/2217931
"Thai Red Springtails" Neanurinae sp>cf. Lobella sp> Lobella sp
The original red springtails from Thailand entered the worldwide hobby in late 2021 with no scientific name. They were shown to be Neanurinae shortly after by the presence of obvious tubercles and later placed in the genus Lobella tentatively (hence the "c.f."). Lobella as a genus level ID has now been confirmed so the c.f. can be dropped. Species level identification is not currently planned.
This species also goes by the common name "Red Springtail."
See entry under the name "Pavy, R" https://www.collembola.org/taxa/neaninae.htm#Lobella
"Bylas Ant Springtail" Cyphoderus sp>Pseudosinella sp> Pseudosinella violenta
This species which was introduced by Roach Crossing under the name Cyphoderus has been proven under microscopic analysis to the very similar in appearance genus of Pseudosinella. Further microscopy by a Florida state entomologist and myself confirmed species to be Pseudosinella violenta.
Identification confirmed because: species has no eyes, unguiculus has distinctly large outher tooth, setae in labial triangle smooth, Thoracic segment 2 marginally wider than Th 3, setae of Th 2 "collar" are long. https://imgur.com/a/qjHRXnL
Entomobrya sp "Silver" > Seira dowlingi
(Not pictured)
This species has long been known to need an ID change and thanks to specimens from Iheartbugs that has finally happened. Specimens were sent to a Florida state entomologist and they arrived at the new accurate ID of Seira dowlingi.
Common name changes:
Ceratophysella sp "Purple Springtails">Ceratophysella sp "Lilac Springtails"
Many hobbyists decided that the name of "purple springtail" should be reserved for truly purple species who have yet to enter the springtail hobby. "Lilac" is a name more representative of their true color and maintains the balance for the future of the hobby.
Species plus common name changes:
Collembola sp "Indigo Blue" > Anurida maritima "Seashore Springtail"
This species collected in Elliot Key, Florida has long been suspected of being Anurida maritima. Their habitat and lack of ability to jump pointed to that fact but photos taken by Carlos Michaelsen of the arrangement of ocelli confirmed it.
The common name "Indigo Blue" still stands but it is encouraged for all sellers and collectors to start using the long-standing common name "Seashore Springtail."
Identification confirmed by 5 ocelli per eyepatch, arrangement of ocelli, general habitus, and habitat.
Entomobrya sp "Compost Springtail">Entomobrya confusa"Varicolored Springtail"
This is a species which I introduced under the name Entomobrya sp "compost" because they were collected from compost. Species level ID was found soon after and I decided that the common name was not good enough for them and changed it before they became widely available but some people received cultures under the name Entomobrya sp "Compost."
This species also goes by the common name "Compost Varicolor Springtail."
Identification confirmed at https://bugguide.net/node/view/2218972/bgimage
Springtails of the hobby name resource:
This section is a list of all species in hobbyist culture with their current scientific and common names as well as other names they go under. Due to a difficulty in collecting information some of these species may no longer be in hobbyist culture and some species in hobbyist culture may not be on this list.
Anurida maritima "Seashore Springtail"
Also goes by Collembola sp and Poduromorpha sp "Indigo Blue Springtail."
Arrhopalites caecus "Globular Cave Springtail"
Also goes by the scientific name Arrhopalitidae sp and the common name "White Globular Springtail."
Brachystomella villalobosi “Tiny Purple Springtail”
Has not been sold under another name”
Ceratophysella sp "Lilac"
Also goes by the common name "Purple Springtail” and “Purple Podura.”
Ceratophysella sp “F1”
A morph of Ceratophysella sp “Lilac.”
Ceratophysella sp “Sunflower”
A morph of Ceratophysella sp “Lilac.”
Ceratophysella sp "White Albino"
A morph of Ceratophysella sp “Lilac.”
Ceratophysella sp "Yellow Albino"
A morph of Ceratophysella sp "Lilac." Also goes by the common name "Yellow Springtail."
cf. Onychiuridae sp "Tiny White Springtail"
Has not been sold under another name.
cf. Willowsia sp "Kota Kinabalu" (Malaysian Silver Scaly Springtail)
Has not been sold under another name.
Coecobrya sp / Coecobrya cf. tenebricosa "Tropical White / Tropical Pink Springtail"
Both scientific and common names listed are valid as of this time. "Tropical Pink" is the preferred name to avoid confusion with the species Folsomia candida who sometimes goes by "Tropical White." Previously known as the scientific name Sinella sp, Sinella curviseta, or Collembola sp.
Collembola sp. "Silver Springtail"
Insufficient data as of this time, cannot determine if this culture has been sold under another name.
Cyphoderus similis "White Ant Springtail"
Has not been sold under another name.
Desoria trispinata "Blue Velvet Springtail"
Has not been sold under another name. There are two locales in US hobbyist culture but both are indistinguishable.
Entomobrya atrocincta "Dimorphic Springtail"
Has not been sold under another name.
Entomobrya confusa "Varicolored Springtail"
Has been sold under the name Entomobrya sp "Compost Springtail" and the common name "Compost Varicolor Springtail."
Entomobrya griseoolivata "Olive Springtail" or "Grizzled Springtail"
Has been sold under both common names.
Entomobrya quadrilineata
Has not been sold under another name.
Entomobrya multifasciata “Little Tiger Springtail”
Has not been sold under another name.
Entomobrya sp "Wood Runner Springtail"
Has not been sold under another name.
Entomobrya unostrigata "Cotton Springtail"
Has been sold under the common name "Arid Cotton Springtail."
Entombryomorpha sp "Small Silver"
Not enough data at the time of writing, will be updated.
Folsomia candida "Temperate / Common White Springtail"
Both common names are valid. Has sometimes been sold under the name "Tropical White Springtail" but should not continue to be sold under that name in order to avoid confusion. Has also been sold as Collembola sp. Rarely sold with a locale distinction in the case of traced and pure lineages.
Homidia socia "Three-Lined Springtail"
Has not been sold under another name.
Hypogastruridae sp "Tiny Blue Springtail" (Lake Keystone, OK Locale)
Has not been sold under another name, although a different species has been sold under the same common name.
Isotoma delta
Has been sold under the common name "Godzilla Springtail."
Isotomurus retardatus “Green Water Springtail”
Has not been sold under another name.
Lepidocyrtus cinereus "24K Springtails"
Has not been sold under another name. ID change may be necessary following further scrutiny.
Lepidocyrtus paradoxus "Paradoxing Springtail"
Has not been sold under another name.
Lepidocyrtus sp "Micro Gold Springtail"
Has been sold under the common name "Gold Springtail."
Lepidocyrtus sp "Pearlescent Springtail"
Has not been sold under another name.
Lepidocyrtus sp "Silver Springtails"
Has not been sold under another name.
Lepidocyrtus violaceus "Blacklight Springtail"
Has been sold under the name Lepidocyrtus sp.
Lobella sp "Thai Red Springtail"
Has been sold under the scientific names Neanurinae sp and cf. Lobella sp. Also sold under the common name "Red Springtail."
Neanura growae "Florida Orange Springtail"
Also goes by the common name "US Orange Springtail" or "Native Orange Springtail."
Neanura persimilis
Has not been sold under another name.
Onychiurinae sp "Little Soil Springtail"
Has not been sold under another name.
Onychiurinae sp “Snowflake”
Has not been sold under another name.
Orchesella ainsliei
Has not been sold as another name but locale may be distinguished.
Orchesella cincta "Belted Springtail"
Has been sold under the common name "Giant Belted Springtail."
Orchesella villosa "Woolly Mammoth Springtail"
Has not been sold under another name, although multiple indistinguishable localities exist in hobbyist culture.
Poduromorpha sp "Tiny Blue Springtail"
Has not been sold under another name, although a different species has been sold under the same common name.
Pogonognathellus bidentatus
Has not been sold under another name.
Pogonognathellus dubius "GSB/Giant Silver Bullet Springtail"
Has not been sold under another name.
Proisotoma minuta "Blue Podura Springtail"
Has been sold under only the common name until a scientific name was assigned.
Pseudosinella alba "Prospector Springtail"
Has not been sold under another name although it's unclear for now if the identification is correct.
Pseudosinella rolfsi "Runner Springtail" & "Rutabaga Runner Springtail"
The same species sold under two common names, each common name is from a different collection (different location and time).
Pseudosinella violenta "Bylas Ant Springtail"
Has been sold under the scientific name Cyphoderus sp, Pseudosinella sp, and the common name "Bylas, AZ."
Salina banksi
Has not been sold under another name.
Seira # 13
Has not been sold under another name.
Seira bipunctata
Has not been sold under another name.
Seira dowlingi
Formerly known and traded as Entomobrya sp "Silver Springtail." The "silver" common name may be up for a bit of a change eventually as it is typically reserved for Lepidocyrtus.
Sminthurinus quadrimaculatus
Has not been sold under another name.
Tetrodontophora bielanensis “Giant Blue Springtail”
Has not been sold under another name.
Tomocerus minor "Giant Runner Springtail"
This species exists in hobbyist culture with both the proper identification and improper. In some cases springtails sold as Tomocerus vulgaris are actually T. minor. It is recommended to only sell stock under this name which has been properly verified via microscopy and only buy from vendors who can trace back to a proper identification via microscopy. T. minor has tridentate dental spines.
Tomocerus vulgaris "Common Bull Springtail"
Has also been sold under the common name "Giant Silver Springtail." This species exists in hobbyist culture with both the proper identification and improper. In some cases springtails sold as Tomocerus vulgaris are actually T. minor. It is recommended to only sell stock under this name which has been properly verified via microscopy and only buy from vendors who can trace back to a proper identification via microscopy. T. vulgaris does not have tridentate dental spines.
Vertagopus sp "Sombré Springtail"
Has not been sold under another name.
Vitronura giselae
Has not been sold under another name.
Willowsia buski "Damp Grain Springtail"
Has not been sold under another name.
Yuukianura aphoruroides "Orange Springtail"
Also sold under the scientific names Bilobella sp, Billobella braunerae, Billobella aurantiaca, and Protanura sp. Also sold under the common names "Spanish Orange Springtail," "Asian Orange Springtail," and "Cheeto Springtail."
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