Author: Jude Frie
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142/150: A small creature with a long history
Animalia: Arthropoda: Ostracoda: Podocopida: Cyprididae: Cypridopsinae: Cypridopsis vidua (O. F. Müller, 1776) The Ostracods are an ancient crustacean that has been around for over 50 million years! Of the nearly 70,000 species described, only 13,000 are alive today, all others being discovered as fossils. Many ostracods have found use in the field of biostratigraphy –…
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135/150: This tiny mite can cause massive damage!
Animalia: Arthropoda: Arachnida: Trombidiformes: Tetranycinae: Tetranychinae: Tetranychus: Tetranychus urticae (C. L. Kock, 1836) The two-spotted spider mite is of economic importance as it is a common pest worldwide. It has been found to feed on more than 1,100 different species of plants! Including important crops such as maize, soy, citrus, apples, tomatoes, strawberries, and peppers.…
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133/150: Arctic Isopods – Cold and Calculated
Animalia: Arthropoda: Malacostraca: Isopoda: Arcturidae: Arcturus baffini (Sabine, 1824) Arctic isopods are unique crustaceans living in the Arctic Ocean, with over 50 species. Most are small, ranging from 0.5-1.5 cm in length, but some, like Arcturus baffini, can grow beyond 10 cm! Making them large organisms in a cold environment. These isopods are poor swimmers,…
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130/150: They may not have wings, but boy can they jump!
Animalia: Arthropoda: Insecta: Archaeognatha: Machilidae: Petrobiinae: Pedetontus: Pedetontus submutans (Silvestri, 1911) The jumping bristletails belong to the order Archaeognatha. These small insects exhibit three pronged tails, an arched back, and two compound eyes. Its body is covered in detached scales making it very hard for predators to grip. Living in diverse habitats from moist shorelines…