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Tarpon springtail — printable fact sheet
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Tarpon springtail
Anurida maritima
The Tarpon springtail is a tiny, bluish-gray invertebrate commonly found along coastal shorelines and intertidal zones. It is well adapted to life at the interface of land and sea, where it scavenges organic debris on rocks and among seaweed. This springtail is notable for its a…
Did you know?
- Despite living at the ocean's edge, Tarpon springtails cannot swim and rely on surface tension and their springing ability to avoid drowning.
- Tarpon springtails can jump to escape predators by snapping their furcula, a forked appendage under their abdomen. They form large aggregations on wet rocks and seaweed, sometimes numbering in the thousands. Their waxy outer layer provides resistance to both desiccation and saltwater immersion.
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