Globbie's Cousin Dicyrtoma fusca
e6filmuser
Registered Users Posts: 3,379 Major grins
I was searching through my pile of logs where I had been finding Neanura muscorum when I saw a large, globular figure in profile. Thinking it was a large psochid or a plant hopper nymph, I carried the log to my photography table.
When I framed and focused I was still unsure. When I reviewed the image I got a surprise. It was a dicyrtomid, almost filling the frame, and it was not Dicyrtomina. It lacked the zipper-like markings on the rear of the abdomen and the distinct pigment patterns, present (feintly) even in the yellow form. The taxonomic difference between the genera is the presence or absence of a tunica (loose-fitting sheath) on the claws. Good luck with that one via a photo!
As I shortened the extension to allow more room in the frame, the springtail jumped off the log. Having only one poor image, I was desperate to find it. There it was, on the base of the block of wood I used to support my fill flash. Before I could frame it it was gone again.
Against the odds, I found it walking on the surface of the wooden table and tracked it for further images, only one of which (first image, cropped by about a third) was of decent quality.
EM-1 (manual mode), extension, Kiron x 1.5 Matchmate TC, reversed Schneider HM 40mmat f11, Twin TTL RC flash (one free-standing), hand-held.
Harold
When I framed and focused I was still unsure. When I reviewed the image I got a surprise. It was a dicyrtomid, almost filling the frame, and it was not Dicyrtomina. It lacked the zipper-like markings on the rear of the abdomen and the distinct pigment patterns, present (feintly) even in the yellow form. The taxonomic difference between the genera is the presence or absence of a tunica (loose-fitting sheath) on the claws. Good luck with that one via a photo!
As I shortened the extension to allow more room in the frame, the springtail jumped off the log. Having only one poor image, I was desperate to find it. There it was, on the base of the block of wood I used to support my fill flash. Before I could frame it it was gone again.
Against the odds, I found it walking on the surface of the wooden table and tracked it for further images, only one of which (first image, cropped by about a third) was of decent quality.
EM-1 (manual mode), extension, Kiron x 1.5 Matchmate TC, reversed Schneider HM 40mmat f11, Twin TTL RC flash (one free-standing), hand-held.
Harold
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Comments
Brian V.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lordv/
http://www.lordv.smugmug.com/
I found another one yesterday and got one decent image.
Harold