| Sminthurus viridis | |
|---|---|
| |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subclass: | Collembola |
| Order: | Symphypleona |
| Family: | Sminthuridae |
| Genus: | Sminthurus |
| Species: | S. viridis
|
| Binomial name | |
| Sminthurus viridis | |
Sminthurus viridis is a member of the Collembola, the springtails, an order in the subphylum Hexapoda. The species is known by common names such as clover springtail,[1] lucerne flea,[2] or lucerne earth flea.[3]
Common names such as lucerne flea are misleading because, being a member of the Collembola, this species is not even remotely related to the fleas. Calling it a "flea" simply is a reference to its jumping ability and its small size.[4]
The species originated in Eurasia, but in particular in Europe. However, it has been spread unintentionally by human agency. It now is present in southern regions of Australia and Tasmania, where it is considered a pest.[5][6] It also is present in South Africa, New Zealand, and the Americas. Its pest status varies from negligible to severe, depending on local circumstances.[3]
- ^ "Lucerne flea or Clover springtail". Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (Queensland). Government of Queensland. Retrieved 13 February 2015.
- ^ "ITIS standard report - Sminthurus viridis (Linnaeus, 1758)". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 13 February 2015.
- ^ a b Annecke, D. R., Moran, V. C. (1982). Insects and mites of cultivated plants in South Africa. London: Butterworths. ISBN 0-409-08398-4.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ Chinery, Michael (1991) [1986]. Collins Guide to the Insects of Britain and Western Europe. ISBN 0-00-219170-9.
- ^ "PestWeb - Lucerne Flea". www.agric.wa.gov.au/. Archived from the original on 2009-06-27. Retrieved 2008-10-11.
- ^ "Collembola - springtails". CSIRO. Retrieved 2009-01-07.