ABSTRACT
The immature stages resemble the adult stage in all external details. Springtails can be confused with wingless Psocoptera, especially those found in bird nests, but these have longer antennae and true compound eyes, and, of course, no jumping apparatus or ventral tube. Those species of Collembola that do not jump might be confused with lice, but Collembola are not flattened, not ectoparasitic, and usually soft-bodied. The soil proturans are more slender and do not have antennae as soil Collembola do. The diplurans have two anal cerci instead of the jumping mechanism.
