A Preliminary Study of the Dietary Requirements of Tomocerus (Collembola)

This preliminary investigation of the feeding behavior of Tomocerus employed vivisection as well as controlled feeding in growth chambers. Tomocerus was exposed to four different diets in growth chambers which were: (1) litter and fungi, (2) fungi, (3) humus and fungi, (4) humus, litter and fungi. Fungus spores were ingested in great- er quantity than any other single food material. Organisms that were examined from the field had ingested more litter and fungal hyphae than fungal spores. The probable reason for this disparity of results between laboratory and field populations is the fact that spores are not present in great density, and at times are unavailable, under natural conditions.