Heteromurus major ( Moniez, 1889 )

Bellini, Bruno Cavalcante, Greenslade, Penelope, Baquero, Enrique, Jordana, Rafael & Souza, Paolla Gabryelle Cavalcante De, 2022, A synthesis of the current knowledge on the Australian Orchesellidae (Collembola, Entomobryoidea), Zootaxa 5115 (2), pp. 221-257 : 233

Heteromurus major ( Moniez, 1889)

Fig. 8

Diagnosis. Length of adult specimens up to 3.0 mm. Colour pattern variable, at least Ant. II–IV, frontal and lateral head, anterior Th. II and lateral Th. II–Abd. I and legs dark pigmented, some specimens almost entirely dark. Eyes 8+8. Labral papillae absent. Labial papillae E lateral process not reaching the apex of the papilla, labial basomedian field without scales, post-labial quadrangle (anterior chaetae surrounding the cephalic groove) chaetae ciliate. All legs segments scaled, tibiotarsi without rows of smooth chaetae, tenent-hairs spatulate, unguis with four inner teeth. Dorsal manubrium without smooth chaetae, mucronal spine present (adapted from Mari-Mutt 1980).

Remarks. The labial chaetotaxy of H. major is variable and because of this it was omitted from the diagnosis. More details on its morphology are listed in Mari-Mutt (1980). The species identity was confirmed in the Australian specimens by Greenslade & Jordana (2014). Heteromurus major was recorded from Australia in creek banks replanted with Eucalyptus sp., Themeda sp. grassland with exotic weed invasion and other disturbed habitats, such as home gardens or public parks ( Greenslade & Jordana 2014; Greenslade 2021). The species is considered introduced as its main distribution is Holarctic, with some records also from Western Americas ( Bellinger et al. 1996 –2021).

Figures

FIGURE 8. Distribution of Australian Orchesellidae.