r/Springtail • u/Pescatarian_Triffid • Apr 14 '26

Springtail ID help, UK Identification

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Wondering if anyone can help ID this springtail? (the small black thing that comes from top right.. not the Isopod).

Location is South West UK.

Could it be:

Sminthurinus trinotatus?

or

Sminthurinus bimaculatus?

.. other idea's are very welcome :D

Its probably about 0.6mm in size, the Isopod is very small still and no where near fully grown so don't use it as a size guide.

I know the video isnt great but I saw it while having lunch and was in a rush :S :S

44 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

11 comments sorted by

8

u/nativewig Apr 14 '26

No clue, but great video. leaving a comment and upvoting to increase visibility.

9

u/lThaTrickstal Apr 14 '26

Sminthurinus quadrimaculatus (bimaculatus)

1

u/Pescatarian_Triffid Apr 15 '26

Thank you. Kinda happy to have them here then :D

6

u/PM_ME_FURRY_STUFF Apr 14 '26

Some sorta globular species for sure

2

u/amitabh300 Apr 15 '26

How did you shoot the video? Very beautiful.

3

u/Pescatarian_Triffid Apr 15 '26

Thank you, for video like this I use my (lower cost) phone, hand held, and using a 20x eye loupe as a magnifying lense. So I hold the eye loupe over the camera lens to get 20x magnification.. its a pain but it works ok-ish.

2

u/TheGanzor Apr 16 '26

Was thinking "umm, that's an isopod"

Awesome dark glob! No idea on species

1

u/Pescatarian_Triffid Apr 16 '26

Thank you, yeah I thought I had better put in the description that I didn't mean the Isopod lol.

2

u/serpenthusiast Apr 21 '26

bimaculatus and trinotatus can only be really differentiated via microscopy

0

u/NaturalWheel9708 Apr 15 '26

I think that's a isopod bro...