Lepidocyrtus selvaticus Arbea & Ariza, 2007

Mateos, Eduardo, 2008, Definition of Lepidocyrtus lusitanicus Gama, 1964 species-complex (Collembola, Entomobryidae), with description of new species and color forms from the Iberian Peninsula, Zootaxa 1917, pp. 38-54 : 49-50

Lepidocyrtus selvaticus Arbea & Ariza, 2007

Figs 28–29 , Tab. 1

Material examined. I have examined specimens from three localities in Northeastern Spain (LOC101, LOC143, LOC144, Tab. 1 and Fig. 1 ).

Diagnosis. Small Lepidocyrtus (maximum body length: 0.97 mm) with mesothorax not projecting over the head. Body yellowish ( Fig. 28 ). Antennae, legs and dorsal side of manubrium not scaled. Ant. IV with simple nonretractile apical bulb. Labium chaetotaxy M2EL1L2; ventral cephalic groove with 2+2 ciliated setae and 1+1 (posterior) smooth setae ( Fig. 29 ). Labrum 4/554; prelabral setae ciliated; labral setae smooth; inverted U-shaped labral apical intrusion. Head with 5+5 macrochaetae A. Interocular chaetotaxy with ciliated setae s, t, r, q, p, without scales. Dorsal macrochaetae formula R0R1R2STSo/10/0301+3, with supplementary macrochaetae R1s between R0 and R1. Abd. II with ciliated macrochaetae a2, m3 and m3e; seta a2p absent. Abd. IV trichobothrium T2 without accesory seta s; seta D1p ciliated and double in length than other setae of the trichobotrial complex; setae E1, De1 and E4p smooth mesochaetae. All setae associated with the trichobothria on abd. II–IV are acuminate and strongly ciliate. V-shaped trochanteral organ formed by 5 smooth setae. Inner edge of the unguis with basal pair teeth and one odd teeth; unguiculus with serrate outer edge. Manubrial plate with 2 internal and 2 external setae.

Ecology and distribution. The examined specimens came from two localities on the beach (few meters away from the sea), which were already described in the species original description (LOC144 and LOC143), and one non-coastal locality (LOC101) located 27 km inland. In the beach localities, specimens were collected over the low herbaceous vegetation growing in the sand. In the inland locality, specimens were collected also on herbaceous vegetation.

Discussion. All examined specimens have the morphological and chaetotaxic characters described by Arbea and Ariza (2007), but with some differences in the abdominal chaetotaxy (see: Arbea & Ariza 2007, Fig. 4 ). In abd. II terga, the original description indicates the presence of a smooth mesochaeta between setae ll and a6, which is absent in the specimens examined by me; in abd. III terga, the presence of two microchaetae between setae d3 and p5 is indicated, whereas in my specimens there is only one (microchaeta d2); seta m7a is drawn as a smooth mesochaeta, while in my specimens it is an acuminate thin ciliated macrochaeta. Therefore, the abd. II–III chaetotaxy of my L. selvaticus specimens is the same as described for L. bilobatus and L. lusitanicus ( Figs 14–15 ). With this diagnosis the description of L. selvaticus is extended for the following characters: interocular chaetotaxy, trocanteral organ, manubrial plate, and abd. IV total chaetotaxy. The abd. IV chaetotaxy of L. selvaticus is the same as described for L. lusitanicus ( Fig. 27 ), with the difference that seta Fe4 is smooth mesochaeta in all examined specimens.

L. selvaticus is a closely related species with L. lusitanicus and L. bilobatus sp. nov., from which it can be differentiated by the absence of labial seta R and by having smooth 1+1 posterior setae instead of ciliated of the cephalic groove ( Fig. 29 ). It can be also distinguished from L. bilobatus sp. nov. by having simple apical antennal bulb and abd. IV setae E1, De1 and E4p smooth mesochaetae.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Localities (in letters, see: column “ ref ” in Table 1) and taxa (in numbers). 1 –– L. lusitanicus lusitanicus, 2 –– L. lusitanicus coloratus, 3 –– L. lusitanicus nigrus, 4 –– L. lusitanicus piezoensis, 5 –– L. lusitanicus form A, 6 –– L. selvaticus, 7 –– L. bilobatus sp. nov.

FIGURES 28 – 29. Lepidocyrtus selvaticus: 28, habitus; 29, labium and ventral cephalic groove.

FIGURES 2 – 10. Lepidocyrtus bilobatus sp. nov.: 2, L. bilobatus form A; 3, L. bilobatus form B; 4, ant. III sensillar chaetotaxy; 5, apical antennal bulb; 6, labrum; 7, maxillary palp; 8, outer labial appendage; 9, labium and ventral cephalic groove; 10, dorsal macrochaetae (circles), trichobothria (lines) and pseudopora (#).

FIGURES 14 – 15. Lepidocyrtus bilobatus sp. nov.: 14, abd. II complete chaetotaxy, large circles –– blunt broad ciliated macrochaetae, pse –– pseudopore; 15, abd. III complete chaetotaxy, large circles –– blunt broad ciliated macrochaetae, small circles –– acuminate thin ciliated macrochaetae, pse –– pseudopore.

FIGURES 26 – 27. Lepidocyrtus lusitanicus: 26, apical antennal bulb; 27, abd. IV chaetotaxy, broad circles –– broad ciliated macrochaetae, small circles –– thin ciliated macrochaetae, white circle –– pseudopore.