SpringtailsSpringtails are classified in about thirty families divided into four orders. There are two morphological types in Springtails, Arthropleones and Symphypleones. Their size varies between 1 and 4 mm on average but can go down to 0.12 mm (Sphaeridia pilleata - Symphypleone, probably the smallest known adult Hexapode) or around 17 mm (Holacanthella duospinosa - Neanuridae living in New Zealand). Although their bodies can sometimes have bright tones (yellow, red, orange), their colors are rather dull, ranging from gray, beige, brown, bluish, yellowish or milky white.
In the tables below, the numbers indicate the number of species belonging to the different families forming a give order.
Note: Within a family, there may also exist one or more subfamilies capable of grouping a substantial number of species. The counts below therefore include all possible sub-families of the family concerned.
Poduromorpha: (3671 species)* - Entomobryomorpha : (4473 species)*
Symphypléones : (1305 species)* - Neelipléones : (65 species)*
* Update from Frans Janssens - collembola.org