Archive for the 'Collembolans (Springtails)' Category

You know what you don’t usually see in the snow?

Hexapods!


Hexapods are a superclass of arthropods that are likely nested within the crustaceans, forming The subphylum pancrustacea. The most notable hexapods are insects and springtails.

Check out this cool *ducks* article by Rich Wolf. It talks about snow fleas, a type of hexapod springtail that often gather on snow to feed on microorganisms.

I just realized that I’ve been doing an arthropod blog for two months and this is the first post about the Hexapod group. Next week will be “Hexapod Week”, with a post a day about these flying crustaceans. I’ve got lots of good stuff to talk about from today’s evolutionary divergence symposium; including how we got pubic lice from gorillas! However, first I have a phylogenetic can of worms to open on this blog… Coming this weekend: An explanation of the current state of arthropod phylogenetics.


I have moved.
Arthropoda can now be found here.

Michael Bok is a graduate student studying the visual system of mantis shrimp.

Flickr Photos

Hemisquilla californiensis

Snowing in the Grand Canyon

Odontodactylus scyllarus

Tetraconata

Brushing off

Outer Barrier

Outer Barrier

Outer Barrier

Outer Barrier

Outer Barrier

More Photos

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