Ptenothrix beta

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]

Appearance

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]

History

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Many of the Ptenothrix beta Bugguide records are outdated due to the fact that Swedish taxonomist Frans Janssens's website, collembola.org was using the same side images that had been previously caused the original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]

References

1. "Ptenothrix beta (K.Christiansen & P.Bellinger, 1981)". www.gbif.org. Retrieved 2025-01-14.
2. "Species Ptenothrix beta". bugguide.net. Retrieved 2025-01-14.
3. Pete, Lypkie (July 12, 2025). "Visually identifying Ptenothrix beta".
4. "Occurrence Detail 5008148814". www.gbif.org. Retrieved 2026-01-06.
5. "Occurrence Detail 5134209804". www.gbif.org. Retrieved 2026-01-06.
6. "Occurrence Detail 5069929768". www.gbif.org. Retrieved 2026-01-06.
7. "Occurrence Detail 5140200883". www.gbif.org. Retrieved 2026-01-06.
8. "Occurrence Detail 5036904428". www.gbif.org. Retrieved 2026-01-06.
9. "Occurrence Detail 5036897011". www.gbif.org. Retrieved 2026-01-06.
10. "The mistaken identity of Ptenothrix maculosa". Ptenothrix. 2025-07-15. Retrieved 2026-01-06.
11. "The mistaken identity of Ptenothrix maculosa". Ptenothrix. 2025-07-15. Retrieved 2026-01-06.
12. "Checklist of the Collembola: Ptenothricinae". collembola.org. Retrieved 2026-01-06.