Tomocerus minor

COLLEMBOLA > ENTOMOBRYOMORPHA > TOMOCEROIDEA > Tomoceridae

As previously noted, the Tomoceridae family includes five species in two genera, Pogonognathellus and Tomocerus.

The Tomocerus genus is now represented in Britain by just three species, Tomocerus minor and Tomocerus vulgaris, both of which are very common and pretty widespread, and Tomocerus minutus, which is a rare montane species only recorded in Wales and a couple of times in Scotland.

Tomocerus minor can grow up to 4.5mm long and has a characteristic uniform silvery-bluish iridescence. As with all the Tomocerus genus it has a very long 3rd antennal segment. Whilst the most defining characters of the species regarding specific features of its feet need to be determined microscopically, it can only be confused with either Tomocerus vulgaris or its other close relative Pogonognathellus flavescens. However, whilst Tomocerus vulgaris is also regarded as being common and widespread elsewhere, it is apparently rarely reported from the South West, which makes it very likely that any Tomocerus species photographed locally will be Tomocerus minor. As for the much rarer Pogonognathellus flavescens species, it should be noted that the 3rd antennal segment in Tomocerus minor is sub-cylindrical in shape and in Pogonognathellus flavescens it is tapering apically, also the length of the short 4th segment in Tomocerus minor is about as long as the sum of the 1st and 2nd segments, whereas in Pogonognathellus flavescens it is distinctly shorter. Although they are normally covered in dark scales it should be remembered that, as with all the Tomoceridae species, they can be easily shed giving pale-coloured specimens.