Vitronura tianmua, Jiang & Xia, 2018

Jiang, Jigang & Xia, Hu, 2018, Two new species and a new record species of genus Vitronura (Collembola: Neanuridae) from East China, Zoological Systematics 43 (2), pp. 169-177 : 174-176

Vitronura tianmua sp. nov. ( Figs 8–12 , Tables 3–5)

Diagnosis. The new species is different from V.mascula , V. shaanxiensis , V. tubercula , V.sinica , V.luzonica , V. gressitti , V. latior , V. mandarina , V. namhaeiensis and V. pygmaea , by having 3 chaetae on tubercle Oc of head, while less than 3 chaetae in the latters. It also differs from V. Joanna by having 3 chaetae on tubercle De of head (having 2 in the latter), from V. macgillivrayi and V. singaporiensis by having separated tubercles Di on head (having fused tubercles Di in the latters). In addition, the new species has no tooth on claw which is different from V. dentata and V. qingchengensis by having an inner tooth on claw, has no chaeta O on tubercle Fr of head which is different from V. zhejiangensis sp. nov., V. paraacuta , V. acuta and V. giselae having chaeta O presence on tubercle Fr. Differentiated characters between the new species and their allied species see Table 5.

Description. Body length 1.7–1.8 mm. Body red in alive and white in alcohol.

Head. Eyes black, 2+2 ( Fig. 8 ). Antenna 4-segmented. Ant. I and II with 7 and 12 chaetae respectively. Ant. III dorsally fused with Ant. IV. Ant. III organ consists of 2 short rods (exposed in separate pits), and 2 long sensory chaetae: sgd (dorsal guard chaeta) and sgv (ventral guard chaetae), chaeta sgd on the same level of sensory rod, chaeta sgv on the same level of ventral ms. Ant. IV with trilobed apical bulb, dorsally with 8 sensilla, slender i chaeta, 12 slender cylindrical chaetae (mou) and minute capitate organ (or). Labrum distally not ogival, chaetotaxy as 0/2, 2. Labium with 11 chaetae, without minute distal x. Mandible with 4 teeth ( Fig. 11 ). Maxilla crochet-like ( Fig. 12 ). Cephalic tubercles and chaetotaxy as in Fig. 8 and Table 3, macrochaetae and mesochaetae on body more or less serrated and apically blunt, microchaetae smooth and pointed ( Fig. 10 ). All dorsal cephalic tubercles (except DL+L+So) independent. Tubercle Cl with 2 Ml and 2 me (or Mcc). Tubercle An with 1 Ml+3 me (or 1 Ml+1 Mc+2 me). Tubercle Fr with 2Ml, chaeta O absent. Tubercle Di on head with 1 Ml. Tubercle De with 1 Ml and 2 me (or Mcc). Tubercle Dl with 1 Ml and 3 me. Tubercle L+So with 3 Ml and 7 me, tubercle Dl fuse to tubercle L+So ( Fig. 8 ).

Thoracic and abdominal tubercles and chaetotaxy shown in Table 4, tubercles and chaetotaxy of Abd. IV–VI as in Fig. 9 . Chaetae formula of tubercle Di on Th. I–Abd. V as 1, 3, 3/2, 2, 2, 2, 3. Sensory chaetae and s-microchaeta formula on Th. I–Abd. V as 0, 2+ms, 2/1, 1, 1, 1, 1. Each tubercle on abd. VI with 7 chaetae (3 Ml and 4 Mc or me).

Thoracic and abdominal tubercles and chaetotaxy shown in Table 4, tubercles and chaetotaxy of Abd. IV–VI as in Fig. 9 . Chaetae formula of tubercle Di on Th. I–Abd. V as 1, 3, 3/2, 2, 2, 2, 3. Sensory chaetae and s-microchaeta formula on Th. I–Abd. V as 0, 2+ms, 2/1, 1, 1, 1, 1. Each tubercle on abd. VI with 7 chaetae (3 Ml and 4 Mc or me).

Appendages. Ventral tube with 4+4 chaetae, furcular vestige with 4 chaetae. Unguis without inner and lateral tooth. Unguiculus absent. Chaetotaxy of legs, ventral tube and furcular remnant see Table 4.

Ecology. Under leaves in forest.

Material examined. Holotype ♂, on the path from Longfengjian to fairy Peak, Tianmu Mountains, Zhejiang, China (30º23'11"N, 119º26'07"E; elev. 1100–1500m), 25 July 2011, coll. Jigang Jiang (no. J2011072501) . Paratype. 1♂, same data as holotype .

Etymology. The species is named after the locality of the Mountains Tianmu, where the new species was collected.

Funding The project was supported by the Construct Program of the Key Discipline in Hunan Province (Zoology), the Zoology Key Laboratory of Hunan Higher Education, Hunan University of Arts and Science, the Open Fund Project of Innovation Platform for University of Hunan Province (14k065), the Natural Science Fund of Hunan Province (2016JJ2091) and the Science Research Fund of Hunan University of Arts and Science (13ZD05) .

Figures

Figures 8–12. Vitronura tianmua sp. nov. 8. Dorsum of head. 9. Dorsum of Abd. IV–VI. 10. Left tubercle Di of Th. III. 11. Mandible. 12. Maxilla. Scale bars: 8–10=50μm; 11–12=20μm.