# Dicyrtomina Saundersi Dicyrtomina saundersi is a tiny, colorful springtail that loves to hop around in the soil. These little creatures help decompose organic matter, making them important for the environment! - **Category:** [Invertebrate](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/invertebrate) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 0/5 · No known danger - **Habitat:** They live in moist environments, such as forest floors, gardens, and fields. - **Also known as:** jumping flea, soil flea ![Dicyrtomina Saundersi](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Dicyrtomina_saundersi_juvenile_%288289321534%29.jpg&width=800) Photo: Andy Murray, CC BY-SA 2.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Dicyrtomina_saundersi_juvenile_%288289321534%29.jpg) ## Appearance The Dicyrtomina Saundersi is a tiny, globular springtail, often showcasing vibrant yellow, orange, or brown colors with dark markings. Its unique round, humped body and large dark eyespots make it distinct from other elongated springtails. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Arthropoda - **Class:** Collembola - **Order:** Symphypleona - **Family:** Dicyrtomidae - **Genus:** Dicyrtomina ## Interesting facts - Some springtails can survive even being frozen solid, then simply thaw out and carry on! - Springtails have been around for over 400 million years, older than dinosaurs! - They can walk upside down on water thanks to their super-hydrophobic skin. - Thousands of these tiny creatures can live happily in an area smaller than your dinner plate! ## Special abilities - **Spring-Loaded Escape:** Dicyrtomina Saundersi can launch itself high into the air using a special 'furcula' tail that helps them escape predators quickly. - **Waterproof Skin:** Dicyrtomina Saundersi has a special waxy cuticle that helps them repel water, keeping them dry even in very damp environments. - **Miniature Cleaner:** Dicyrtomina Saundersi uses tiny mouthparts to scrape up fungi and decaying matter, helping them keep their micro-world tidy. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 1.5 mm - **Lifespan:** 8 months - **Jump Height Mm:** 10 mm - **Top Speed Mm Per Sec:** 100 C ## Diet & Feeding These tiny helpers munch on fungi, algae, and decaying plants, keeping nature's floor clean! - **Primary Foods:** fungi, algae, bacteria, decaying plant matter - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** wolf spider (*Pardosa amentata*) — a common predator in leaf litter habitats - **Eaten by:** predatory mite (*Pergamasus robustus*) — often found sharing the same moist soil environment - **Eats:** beneficial fungus (*Trichoderma harzianum*) — grazes on various soil fungi as a food source - **Eats:** soil bacterium (*Bacillus subtilis*) — consumes these tiny organisms found in soil ## Traits - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Burrowing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/burrowing): Burrowing animals dig tunnels and chambers in the ground, using these subterranean structures for shelter, hunting, or breeding. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Decomposer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/decomposer): Describes organisms that break down dead organic material, recycling nutrients back into the ecosystem. ## Collections - [Invertebrates](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/invertebrates) ## Safety **Danger:** 0/5 · No known danger No special safety notes yet. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Dicyrtomina Saundersi? Compare body symmetry, shells, segments, legs, tentacles and how the animal moves. Invertebrates span many unrelated groups, so start with body structure. Invertebrate Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Dicyrtomina Saundersi? 1.5 mm ### How long does Dicyrtomina Saundersi live? 8 months ### What does Dicyrtomina Saundersi eat? These tiny helpers munch on fungi, algae, and decaying plants, keeping nature's floor clean! ### Where is Dicyrtomina Saundersi usually found? They live in moist environments, such as forest floors, gardens, and fields. ### How does Dicyrtomina Saundersi hunt? Foraging ### What is the jump Height Mm of Dicyrtomina Saundersi? 10 mm ### What is the top Speed Mm Per Sec of Dicyrtomina Saundersi? 100 C ## Where to spot - [Be'er Sheva Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/beer-sheva-park) — Washington, US · Park ## More Invertebrate - [Coral](https://www.snappit.app/explore/coral) - [Crab Spider](https://www.snappit.app/explore/crab-spider) (*Mecaphesa asperata*) - [Garden Spider](https://www.snappit.app/explore/garden-spider) (*Araneus diadematus*) - [Brown Recluse Spider](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-recluse-spider) (*Loxosceles reclusa*) --- Source: [Dicyrtomina Saundersi: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/dicyrtomina-saundersi)