Israelimeria persica, Alijani, Masoumeh, Shayanmehr, Masoumeh, Skarżyński, Dariusz, Piwnik, Agata & Smolis, Adrian, 2015

Alijani, Masoumeh, Shayanmehr, Masoumeh, Skarżyński, Dariusz, Piwnik, Agata & Smolis, Adrian, 2015, New record of the genus Israelimeria Weiner & Kaprus’, 2005 (Collembola: Neanuridae: Pseudachorutinae) from Iran, with description of a new species, Zootaxa 4000 (2), pp. 268-274 : 269-270

Israelimeria persica sp. nov.

( Figs 1–10 )

Type material (all on slides). Holotype, male, Iran, Babol city, Bad-Pay-Sharghi area, near Imam Zadeh Abbass (N36°33.0792′, E52°40.737′, - 1 m a.s.l.), soil in citrus orchard, 13.iv.2013, leg. M. Alijani. Paratypes: 2 females, 2 males, same data as holotype.

Etymology. Named after the historical name of Iran, Persia.

Description. Body length 2.1–3 mm. Habitus as in Fig. 1 . Colour of the body (in alcohol) bluish-grey, ocular plate bluish-black. Granulation rather coarse, regular. Antennae shorter than head. Antennal segment I with 10 setae, antennal segment II with 12 setae. Antennae III and IV fused dorsally and separated ventrally. Antennal segment III organ composed of two small, subcylindrical internal sensilla, two long subcylindrical guard sensilla and two guard setae between them; ventral microsensillum present. Antennal segment IV with trilobed apical vesicle, dorsoexternal microsensillum and 7 subcylindrical sensilla (e1–3, d1–2, i1, i1 ’) (as in Figs 3-4 in Weiner & Kaprus’ (2005).

Postantennal organ absent. Ocelli 4 + 4 with 4–5 ocular setae between them ( Fig. 6 ). Buccal cone elongated. Mandible with 6 teeth (including two strong basal teeth, two central denticles and two medium apical teeth). Maxilla styliform with two pointed lamellae ( Fig. 8 ). Labral chaetotaxy: 2/222. Labium without seta L as in Fig. 5 in Weiner & Kaprus’ (2005).

Dorsal chaetotaxy as in Figs 2–6 . Setae very short, body sensilla (s) distinctly longer. Sensillar formula per half tergum: 022/11111. Head without setae a0 and with two setae d0. Thoracic tergum I with 4–6 + 4–6 setae. Thoracic terga II–III without setae a2. Microsensilla on thoracic tergum II present. Thoracic sterna without setae. Ventral tube with 6–7 + 6–7 setae. Furca absent. 5–6 microchaetae in furcal area ( Fig. 7 ). Each anal valve with two setae hr.

Tibiotarsi I, II and III with 18, 18 and 17 setae, respectively (seta M absent, seta B7 absent on tibiotarsus III). Femora I, II and III with 12–13, 13 and 10–11 setae, trochanters I, II and III with 5–6, 5–6, 5–6 setae, coxae I, II and III with 2–3, 6–7 and 7 setae, subcoxae “2” I, II and III with 0, 2 and 2 setae, subcoxae “1” I, II and III with 4– 5, 5 and 5 setae, respectively. Claw with inner tooth and without lateral teeth. Empodial appendage absent ( Fig. 9 ).

Remarks. I. persica sp. nov. differs from I. poliakovae in large mandibles with two strong basal teeth, two central denticles and two medium apical teeth (versus small mandibles with 6 teeth in which 4 denticles) and many chaetotactic features e.g.: 4–5 ocular setae (versus 7),5–6 microchaetae in furcal area (versus 8), ventral tube with 6–7 + 6–7 setae (versus 9–10 + 9–10), subcoxae “1” I, II and III with 4–5, 5 and 5 setae respectively (versus 6, 7, 7).

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 2. Israelimeria persica sp. nov.: 1, habitus; 2, dorsal chaetotaxy of head (right part).

FIGURES 3 – 5. Israelimeria persica sp. nov.: 3, chaetotaxy of thoracic terga I – II (right part); 4, chaetotaxy of lateral part of thoracic tergum II; 5, chaetotaxy of abdominal terga III – VI (right part).

FIGURES 6 – 7. Israelimeria persica sp. nov.: 6, chaetotaxy of ocular area; 7, chaetotaxy of furcal area.

FIGURES 8 – 10. Israelimeria persica sp. nov.: 8, mandible and maxilla; 9, claw III; Israelimeria poliakovae: 10, mandible.