Heteromurus major ( Moniez, 1889 )

Greenslade, Penelope & Jordana, Rafael, 2014, Description and conservation status of a new species of Australotomurus (Collembola: Entomobryidae: Orchesellinae) from urban Perth remnant bushland, Zootaxa 3872 (5), pp. 561-576 : 573-574

Heteromurus major ( Moniez, 1889)

Figs 27–30

Material examined. Australia, Victoria: 4 specimens, Yarrowee Creek, Ballarat, pitfalls, 9 December 2009, creek bank replanted with Eucalyptus sp., age ca. 10 years, undergrowth sparse with some weeds, few grasses, leaf litter present, Penelope Greenslade (South Australian Museum Adelaide); New South Wales: 3 Specimens (2 males, 1 female), Little Whiskers, 8 September 1992, 7 October 1992, 10 October 1992, 20 km SE. of Canberra, Themeda grassland with some exotic weed invasion, Penelope Greenslade (South Australian Museum Adelaide).

Remarks. Morphological examination indicated that these specimens conform exactly with the generic diagnosis for Heteromurus and with the characters for the species H. major as given by Mari Mutt (1980).The dorsal chaetotaxy of Australian specimens of H. major was compared to that of H. major as described by this author. It was identical although some asymmetry was observed. One difference was on abdominal segment IV, where three lateral macrochaetae were arranged in a longitudinal line to the dorsal axis instead of at an acute angle. Also, the distal tooth on the claw was not distinct ( Fig. 28 ). Porco et al. (2012) using molecular techniques recorded seven cryptic lineages in this species, all from the Northern Hemisphere, but it is not known to which lineage (if any) the Australian material belongs. Barcoding results have has not yet been analysed but are currently under investigation.

This species is considered introduced to Australia from Europe. During early years of colonisation, before any quarantine restrictions, much soil, plants, animal fodder, root vegetables etc were imported directly from Europe to Australia and numerous exotic invertebrates were introduced to Australia at that time and flourished in cool temperate climates in south east Australia similar to those in Europe. The species has only been found in such habitats and with exotic grasses and other weeds. The species group has a cosmopolitan distribution. Another cosmopolitan species, Heteromurus nitidus ( Templeton, 1835) has been recorded and the identification confirmed (P. Greenslade, unpublished observations) from New Zealand.

Figures

FIGURES 27 – 30. Scanning electron micrographs of Heteromurus major (Moniez): 27, habitus, bar = 10 micrometers; 28, claw, bar = 30 micrometers; 29, mucro, bar = 10 micrometers 30, body scales.