noun
- plural of collembolan; small arthropods of the class Collembola, commonly known as springtails, characterized by a forked tail-like appendage used for jumping
Usage: scientific/technical term; usually used in plural form; also called springtails
Examples
- Collembolans are among the most abundant arthropods found in soil ecosystems.
- The researcher studied collembolans to understand nutrient cycling in forest floors.
- Collembolans use their spring-like tail to escape predators by jumping.
- These tiny collembolans feed on decaying plant matter and fungi.
- Biologists collected collembolans from the leaf litter to analyze biodiversity.