Sinella quadriseta, Zhang, Feng, Bedos, Anne & Deharveng, Louis, 2014

Zhang, Feng, Bedos, Anne & Deharveng, Louis, 2014, New species of Sinella and Coecobrya (Collembola: Entomobryidae) from New Caledonia, Zootaxa 3814 (4), pp. 553-566 : 554-557

Sinella quadriseta sp. nov.

Figs 1–16

Types. Holotype: female on slide, New Caledonia: Lifou island, near Easo, elevation about 25 m, 18.x. 2000, litter in secondary forest, Berlese extraction, Louis Deharveng & Anne Bedos leg. (sample NC00-013). Paratypes: 6 females on slides and 10 in alcohol, same data as holotype. Holotype and 10 paratypes (4 on slides and 6 in alcohol) in MNHN; 6 paratypes (2 on slides and 4 in alcohol) in NJAU.

Description. Body length up to 1.45 mm.

Ground colour pale yellow in alcohol. Reddish pigment on Ant. I and III, head, thorax and Abd. I–IV ( Fig. 1). Most specimens slightly reddish or almost pale. Antenna about 2 times as long as cephalic diagonal. Antennal segments ratio as I:II:III:IV = 1: 1.9: 1.8:3.0. Rod-like S-chaetae absent on Ant. I and 2 dorsal on distal part of Ant. II. Ant. III organ with chaetae 2 and 3 rod-like, chaeta 8 stronger than others ( Fig. 2). Lateral process of labial palp thicker than normal chaetae, with tip reaching beyond apex of labial papilla ( Fig. 3). Labial base as mrel 1 l 2, all smooth; r 0.45–0.6 times as long as chaeta m; chaetae X 2 and X 4 ciliate; chaeta X smooth; chaeta X 3 absent ( Fig. 4). Dorsal cephalic chaetotaxy with 5 sutural mac (S) and 3 mac in Gr. II ( Fig. 5).

Trochanteral organ with 12–19 smooth spiny chaetae; 8–10 in arms and 4–9 between them ( Fig. 6). Ungual basal paired teeth unequal, outer one large with tip reaching the distal tooth; distal unpaired tooth tiny. Unguiculus with a large outer tooth. Tenent hair pointed, subequal to unguiculus ( Fig. 7). Abd. IV 4 times as long as Abd. III along dorsal midline. Ventral tube anteriorly with 5–7 ciliate chaetae on each side ( Fig. 8); posteriorly with 10–14 smooth chaetae ( Fig. 9); each lateral flap with 7 smooth chaetae ( Fig. 10). Manubrial plaque with 2 pseudopores and 2 ciliate chaetae ( Fig. 11). Distal smooth part of dens slightly shorter than mucro. Mucronal basal spine short with tip just reaching apex of subapical tooth ( Fig. 12).

Th. II with 2 (m 1, m 1 i) medio-medial, 1 (m 4) medio-lateral, and 15–17 posterior mac. Th. III with 18–19 central, 6 (m 5, a 6, a 6 i, p 6, m 6, m 6 e) lateral mac, and 1 mes (p 6 pe) ( Fig. 13). Abd. I with 4 (m 2 i, m 2 –m 4) central mac. Abd. II with 3 (a 2, m 3, m 3 e) central and 1 (m 5) lateral mac. Abd. III with 1 (m 3) central and 2 (pm 6, p 6) lateral mac ( Fig. 14). Abd. IV with 4 (I, M, A 5, B 5) central, 6 (D 3, E 2–4, E 2 p, F 1) lateral mac and at least 22 sens; E 4 sometimes as mes; at least 6 sens much shorter than others ( Fig. 15); pseudopore between I and A 5. Abd. V with about 45 chaetae and 4 sens; m 2, m 3 and m 5 always much larger than others ( Fig. 16).

Ecology. In litter of secondary forest, in the doline of Easo cave.

Etymology. Named after its unusual pattern of 4 S-chaetae on Abd. V.

Remarks. This species is characterized by ciliate X 2, X 4 and smooth X on ventral side of the head, 2 + 2 mediomedial and 1 + 1 medio-lateral mac on Th. II, 4 + 4 mac on Abd. I, presence of mac a 2 on Abd. II, 2 + 2 mac on Abd. III, 4 + 4 central mac on Abd. IV, and 4 + 4 sens on Abd. V. It is closest to S. claviseta sp. nov., but differs from it in claw structure, presence of mac m 2 i on Abd. I and mac a 2 on Abd. II, ventral tube chaetotaxy and shorter distal smooth part of dens ( Table 1).