springtail

Any of numerous small wingless hexapods of the class Collembola, having the ability to jump by means of a forked appendage on the abdomen that acts as a spring.

A collembolous thysanurous insect which leaps or skips about by means of abdominal hairs acting like a spring, as any poduran.

A thysanurous insect of the suborder Cinura, oftener called bristletail. See Cinura, Lepisma, and cut under silver fish.

One of certain minute neuropterous insects of the panorpid genus Boreus, found in moss and on the surface of snow; a snow-fly. This insect springs, but not by means of anal appendages.

Any one of numerous species of small apterous insects belonging to the order Thysanura. They have two elastic caudal stylets which can be bent under the abdomen and then suddenly extended like a spring, thus enabling them to leap to a considerable distance. See collembola, and podura.

Any of various wingless insects, of the order Collembola, that have spring-like legs.

any of numerous minute wingless primitive insects possessing a special abdominal appendage that allows the characteristic nearly perpetual springing pattern; found in soil rich in organic debris or on the surface of snow or water