| Ptenothrix beta | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Collembola |
| Order: | Symphypleona |
| Family: | Dicyrtomidae |
| Genus: | Ptenothrix |
| Species: | P. beta |
| Binomial name | |
| Ptenothrix beta (Christiansen, K & Bellinger, P, 1981) | |
Ptenothrix beta is a species of springtail in the genus Ptenothrix . It is incredibly variable and ranges across the northwestern US. [1] [2]
This species is identified by its broken up distinct carrot shaped pattern, with whiteish sideburns interlaced with dark brown. There is also a distinct "Saudi Arabia" pattern in the brown sideburns. The antenna are extremely similar to that of Ptenothrix delongi, but are a lot less hairy. The butt of the springtail also has a lot of distinctively hairy hairs. [3] [2] [4] [5] [6]
There are some unique individuals that do not have any carrot shaped pattern, but those still have bristly antenna, and their distinct white and brown sideburns. [7] [8]
This species is one of the major five species that were mistaken for Ptenothrix maculosa originally (before Ptenothrix delongi was found to exist in the west coast), before early 2025, when antenna microscopy by citizen scientists revealed that it was indeed a separate species. [9] [10]
Soon after this was reviewed there was the realization that there seemed to be a distinct difference in the sides of the Ptenothrix delongi that were being mistaken as Ptenothrix beta, notably the lack of white sideburns and a "Saudi Arabia" pattern, as well as differing antennae. [3] [11]
Many of the Ptenothrix beta Bugguide records are outdated due to the fact that Swedish taxonomist Frans Janssens's website, collembola.org was using the same side images that had been previously caused the original missidentification. Frans was the only real springtail identifier on bugguide before his death in 2024, so there are still unresolved missidenifications circulating. [12] [2]
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