Metacoelura majeri, Ma, Yitong, Zhao, Chun & Greenslade, Penelope, 2016

Ma, Yitong, Zhao, Chun & Greenslade, Penelope, 2016, A new species of Metacoelura (Collembola: Paronellidae) from Australia, and redescription of Metacoelura articulata, Zootaxa 4105 (4), pp. 381-388 : 385-386

Metacoelura majeri sp. nov.

Figs 5 −9, 27−38

Types. Holotype female, Australia, Western Australia, Barrow Island, 9−22. ix. 2013, WGS84: 337387, 7708475, sweeping samples, collected by N. Gunawardene and C. Taylor. Seven paratype females, same data as holotype; 4 females, Australia, Western Australia, Barrow Island, 29. iii. 2013, collected by N. Gunawardene and C. Taylor. 10 specimens in alcohol, Australia, Western Australia, Barrow Island. All deposited in South Australian Museum.

Description. Body length up to 2.3 mm. Ant. I and proximal part of Ant. II blue, Ant. III & IV white. Eye patches dark blue and narrow blue stripe present anteriorly between eye patches. Two irregular medial longitudinal stripes present from Th. II to Abd. IV. Tibiotarsus with slight blue pigment; furcula white ( Figs 5−6 , 27 ).

Antenna 1.1−1.3 times as long as body. Ratio of lengths of antennal segments as I:II:III:IV = 1:1.3:0.9−1.0:1.2−1.3. Distal part of Ant. IV with many sensory setae and normal ciliate setae and an apical bulb ( Fig. 28 ). Dorsal cephalic chaetotaxy as that of Metacoelura articulata ( Schött, 1917) . Eyes 8+8, G and H smaller, interocular area with some ciliate setae ( Fig. 29 ). Labral setae 4/5, 5, 4; prelabral setae ciliate, labral setae slender and smooth; labral papillae not clearly seen ( Fig. 30 ). Maxillary outer lobe with 1 apical seta, 1 subapical seta and 3 sublobal hairs on sublobal plate; subapical seta slightly longer than apical seta. Lateral process of labial palp E as thick as normal seta with tip extending beyond apex of labial papilla ( Fig. 31 ). Labial triangular base setae M1, M2, R, E, L1, L2; all ciliate, an unnamed supplementary ciliate seta present between A and M2 ( Fig. 32 ).

Dorsally Th. II with 29−45 mac in G1 group, usually 7 (rarely 8) in G2 group and 10−18 in G3 group. Th. III with 48−66 dorsal mac and 17−22 lateral mac ( Fig 33 ). Trochanteral organ with 31−37 smooth, spine-like setae ( Fig. 34 ). Tibiotarsus with inner differentiated ciliate setae, distal-most seta on hind leg smooth. Unguis with 4 inner teeth, paired ones located at 0.48−0.50 from base of inner edge, distal unpaired two respectively at 0.71−0.77 and 0.85−0.88 from base. Unguiculus acuminate, outer edge serrate. Tenent hair thick with tip clavate, length about 0. 7 times that of the unguis.

Abd. IV 4.0−6.5 times as long as Abd. III along dorsal midline. Abd. I with 29−40 mac on each side dorsally; Abd. II with 10−14 dorsal and 10−13 (16) lateral mac; Abd. III with 2 dorsal and 6−7 lateral mac ( Fig. 35 ). Central part of Abd. IV with 20−28 anterior and 28−42 posterior mac and lateral part with 33−44 mac on each side ( Fig. 36 ). Ventral tube anteriorly with 12−22 ciliate setae of different sizes and laterally with 3 smooth and 8 ciliate setae ( Fig. 37 ), posteriorly with many ciliate setae of different sizes and without smooth setae in distal part ( Fig. 38 ). Tenaculum with 4 teeth and 1 large striate seta. Dens without spines and crenulation in medial part (Fig. 7). Mucro small, falcate, lacking basal spine and fused with dens (Figs 8−9).

Etymology. Named after Jonathon Majer who was responsible for instigating and directing the invertebrate survey on Barrow Island on which the new species was collected.

Remarks. The new species can be easily distinguished from other Metacoelura species by its colour pattern, abdominal chaetotaxy and other characters. The main differences are shown in Table 1 .

Figures

FIGURES 1 − 6. Metacoelura spp. 1 − 4, Metacoelura articulata (Schött, 1917) from Pungalina, Northern Territory. FIGURES 5 − 9, M. majeri sp. nov. from Barrow Island. 5 ‒ 6, habitus; 7, middle part of dens (showing crenulation); 8, distal part of dens; 9, mucro.

FIGURES 27 − 38. Metacoelura majeri sp. nov. 27, habitus; 28, apex of Ant. IV; 29, eyes and interocular chaetotaxy; 30, labrum; 31, labial palp; 32, labium; 33, chaetotaxy of Th. II & III; 34, trochanteral organ; 35, chaetotaxy of Abd. I − III; 36, chaetotaxy of Abd. IV; 37, anterior face and lateral flap of ventral tube; 38, distal part of posterior face of ventral tube.