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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Beltsville, Maryland (BARC) » Beltsville Agricultural Research Center » Systematic Entomology Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #311251
Title: Collophore may help direct springtail jump

Author
item FAVRET, C. - Universite De Montreal
item TZAUD, M. - Universite De Montreal
item ERBE, E. - US Department Of Agriculture (USDA)
item BAUCHAN, G. - US Department Of Agriculture (USDA)
item Ochoa, Ronald - Ron

Submitted to: International Congress of Acarology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/15/2015
Publication Date: 9/5/2015
Citation: Favret, C., Tzaud, M., Erbe, E.F., Bauchan, G.R., Ochoa, R. 2015. Collophore may help direct springtail jump. International Congress of Acarology. 108:1-6.

Interpretive Summary: Springtail insects are agricultural pests which feed on pollen of crops. These insects are difficult to control due to their ability to jump out of emanate danger. Through the use of low-temperature scanning electron microscopy we were able to capture the mechanisms for its ability to spring out of danger. The colophore, a tube-like structure of the abdomen, adheres to the surface as the springtail initiates its jump. This adherence appears to force the abdomen into the air, causing the jump itself to be initiated in a forward direction accompanied by a forward flip. Among the several other documented functions of the collophore, we suggest that it may serve to affect the direction and trajectory of the springtail during its jump. This information can be used by research scientists to study movement studies of other insects and provide a idea of how to control these insects.

Technical Abstract: The collophore of specimens of Entomobrya multifasciata (Tullberg 1871) is composed of four segments. The third segment telescopes in and out of the second and the fourth is an eversible vesicle that is entirely enclosed in the third when not deployed. The four segments are each likely serial homologues of specific leg segments. Low temperature scanning electron micrographs document that the collophore remains adhered to the substrate even as the springtail initiates its jump. This adherence appears to force the posterior abdomen into the air, causing the jump itself to be initiated in a forward direction accompanied by a forward flip. Among the several other documented functions of the collophore, we suggest that it may serve to affect the direction and trajectory of the springtail during its jump.