Poduromorpha
Encyclopedia
The order
Order (biology)
In scientific classification used in biology, the order is# a taxonomic rank used in the classification of organisms. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, family, genus, and species, with order fitting in between class and family...

 Poduromorpha is one of the three main groups of springtail
Springtail
Springtails form the largest of the three lineages of modern hexapods that are no longer considered insects...

s (Collembola), tiny hexapods
Hexapoda
The subphylum Hexapoda constitutes the largest grouping of arthropods and includes the insects as well as three much smaller groups of wingless arthropods: Collembola, Protura, and Diplura . The Collembola are very abundant in terrestrial environments...

 related to insect
Insect
Insects are a class of living creatures within the arthropods that have a chitinous exoskeleton, a three-part body , three pairs of jointed legs, compound eyes, and two antennae...

s. This group was formerly treated as a superfamily
Taxonomic rank
In biological classification, rank is the level in a taxonomic hierarchy. Examples of taxonomic ranks are species, genus, family, and class. Each rank subsumes under it a number of less general categories...

 Poduroidea.

They can be best distinguished from the other springtail groups by their body shape. The Symphypleona
Symphypleona
The order Symphypleona is one of the three main groups of springtails , tiny hexapods related to insects. When the springtails were still believed to be an order of insects, the Symphypleona were ranked as a suborder....

 are very round animals, almost spherical. The Entomobryomorpha
Entomobryomorpha
The order Entomobryomorpha are one of the three main groups of springtails , tiny hexapods related to insects. This group was formerly treated as a superfamily Entomobryoidea....

 contain the slimmest springtails, some with long and some with short legs and antenna
Antenna (biology)
Antennae in biology have historically been paired appendages used for sensing in arthropods. More recently, the term has also been applied to cilium structures present in most cell types of eukaryotes....

e, but always with a very slender body. The Poduromorpha, by contrast, always have short legs and a plump body, but more oval in shape than the Symphypleona.

Systematics

The Poduromorpha were, as Poduroidea, united with the Entomobryomorpha
Entomobryomorpha
The order Entomobryomorpha are one of the three main groups of springtails , tiny hexapods related to insects. This group was formerly treated as a superfamily Entomobryoidea....

 (then called Entomobryoidea) in a group called "Arthropleona", but this has more recently turned out to be paraphyletic. Actually the Entomobryomorpha, the Poduromorpha, and the third springtaill lineage – the Symphypleona
Symphypleona
The order Symphypleona is one of the three main groups of springtails , tiny hexapods related to insects. When the springtails were still believed to be an order of insects, the Symphypleona were ranked as a suborder....

 – are equally distinct from each other. Their treatment at equal taxonomic rank
Taxonomic rank
In biological classification, rank is the level in a taxonomic hierarchy. Examples of taxonomic ranks are species, genus, family, and class. Each rank subsumes under it a number of less general categories...

 reflects this. Their rank has also varied a bit. When the springtails were still believed to be an order of insects, the "Arthropleona" and the Symphypleona were treated as suborders.

List of families

Includes fossil
Fossil
Fossils are the preserved remains or traces of animals , plants, and other organisms from the remote past...

 families.

Superfamily Neanuroidea
  • Family Brachystomellidae
  • Family Neanuridae
    Neanuridae
    The family Neanuridae contains pudgy short-legged springtails of the order Poduromorpha. It was established by Carl Börner in 1901.-Systematics:There are six subfamilies currently recognized:* Caputanurininae* Frieseinae* Morulininae* Neanurinae...

  • Family Odontellidae

Superfamily Poduroidea
  • Family Poduridae

Superfamily Hypogastruroidea
  • Family Hypogastruridae
    Hypogastruridae
    Hypogastruridae is a family of springtails. Members of the family are common and widespread with a cosmopolitan distribution of about 660 species in about 40 genera.-Selected genera:Hypogasturidae genera are:* Acherongia Massoud & Thibaud, 1985...

  • Family Pachytullbergiidae
  • Family Paleotullbergiidae

Superfamily Gulgastruroidea
  • Family Gulgastruridae

Superfamily Onychiuroidea
  • Family Onychiuridae
  • Family Tullbergiidae

Superfamily Isotogastruroidea
  • Family Isotogastruridae
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