| Podura aquatica | |
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| Scientific classification | |
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| Family: | Poduridae |
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| Species: | P. aquatica |
| Binomial name | |
| Podura aquatica Linnaeus, 1758 | |
Podura aquatica, the water springtail, is a species of springtail, one of only four described species in the family Poduridae. It is an abundant species with a Holarctic distribution.
As its common and scientific names suggest, this is an exclusively aquatic species, living its whole life as a scavenger on the surface of all kinds of still water. It is a squat species up to 1.5 mm in length, usually bluish grey but sometimes almost black. The furcula is large and flattened, allowing the animal to jump without breaking the surface tension of the water.
References
- McGavin, George C. (2005). Insects and Spiders. London: Dorling Kindersley. ISBN 1-4053-0596-7.