Entomobrya militum, Jordana & Greenslade, 2020

Jordana, Rafael & Greenslade, Penelope, 2020, Biogeographical and ecological insights from Australasian faunas: the megadiverse collembolan genus, Entomobrya (Entomobryidae), Zootaxa 4770 (1), pp. 1-104 : 51-52

Entomobrya militum sp. nov.

( Figs 2I , 5C , 26 A–D)

Holotype. Female, ACT, Russell Offices, - 35.296°S, 149.150°E, 578m asl, alienated, mown native grassland, adjacent to remnant Themeda with eucalypts, pitfalls, Nov. 94, PG leg. [ SAMA 22668 ].

Paratype. Male, the same collection data as holotype.

Description. Size. Length 2.1 mm.

Colour. Dark blue including antennae, legs and manubrium ( Fig. 5C ).

Head. Eight eyes, G and H smaller in size than E and F. Antennal length 952 μm, twice length of head. Ant IV with simple apical vesicle; relative length of Ant segments: 1/1.75/1.65/1.75. Labral papillae multispinate. Labral chaetotaxy with 5 prelabral ciliate chaetae, and 5,5,4 smooth. External process of labial papilla E not reaching to papilla tip. Only one chaetae L 2 of posterior labial row can be see and it is ciliated. Ratio Ant/head, 2.55.

Thorax and abdomen. Ratio lengths Abd IV/III=3. Tibiotarsus without differentiated chaetae, with exception of the presence of the smooth terminal chaetae on legs 3, characteristic for the genus. Unguis with 4 teeth, paired two at 50% of the base and long for an Entomobrya , first unpaired tooth at 75 % from the base and small; lateral and dorsal teeth at intermediate level between base and internal paired teeth. Trochanteral organ with around 21 chaetae. Unguiculus acuminated, narrow, external lamella with three small teeth. Tenent hair clavate, longer than unguis. Manubrial plate with 4 chaetae and 2 pseudopores. Mucro bidentate, both teeth of similar size with mucronal basal spine. Mucro of 15 micrometers and distal, smooth part of dens twice length mucro.

Macrochaetotaxy. Simplified Mc formula: 3,1,0,1,1a/1,3/0,2/1,0,1/0,0,2,2,2. Head chaetotaxy ( Fig. 25A ) An 2, An 3a1, An 3 and A 5 Mac. Only M 1 and M 4 present as Mc. In sutural row present S 0, S 2, S 3, S 4, S 5i and S 5. Only Ps 5 present. Thoracic chaetotaxy: Th II chaetotaxy ( Fig. 25B ) with Mc m 1 on T1 area, on T2 area with Mc a 5, m 4 and m 5. Abdominal chaetotaxy ( Fig. 25C ): Abd II m 3ep and m 3e; on Abd III a 1 and m 3 Mc present; Abd IV ( Fig. 25D ) with Mc A 4 –A 6, B 4 –B 6. Sensillary formula usual of Entomobrya , the bothriotricha on Abd IV in position T 2 and T 4 (0110).

Remarks. Only one adult was available which could be confused with other dark coloured Entomobrya . The chaetotaxy of Abd II and III is similar to E. imbre sp. nov. but m 5 Mc is present on Th II in E. militum and absent on E. imbre sp. nov. See also the remarks for E. imbre sp. nov.

The collection site of this species is a small remnant of grassy woodland remaining in the centre of Canberra city that was surveyed for invertebrates as it was threatened with being cleared for a car park. On the basis of its vegetation and invertebrate fauna it was given protection. The site was adjacent to the offices of the Department of Defence hence the species name. The species appears to be a short-range endemic.

Etymology. Named for its location adjacent to Department of Defence offices.

Figures

FIGURE 2. Habitus and colour of: A, Entomobrya herberti sp. nov.; B, Entomobrya imbre sp. nov.; C, Entomobrya karta sp. nov. sp.; D, Entomobrya kitchingi sp. nov.; E, E. lamingtonensis Schött, 1917; F, Entomobrya loftyensis sp. nov.; G, Entomobrya ludimus sp. nov.; E. mauretanica Handschin, 1925 sensu Baquero et al., 2009; I, Entomobrya militum sp. nov.; J, E. multifasciata (Tullberg, 1871) Brook, 1884; K, Entomobrya niger comb. nov.; L–M, E. nigrocincta Denis, 1923, L, female, M, male; N, Entomobrya potterae sp. nov.; O, Entomobrya peregrina sp. nov. Bar=0.5 mm.

FIGURE 5. Photographs of: A, Entomobrya loftyensis sp. nov., Holotype; B, Entomobrya ludimus sp. nov., Holotype; C, Entomobrya militum sp. nov., Holotype; D, E. multifasciata; E, Entomobrya niger comb. nov.; F, E. nigrocincta, male; G, E. nigrocincta, female; H, Entomobrya peregrina sp. nov., Holotype; I, Entomobrya pseudomarginata sp. nov., Holotype; J, Entomobrya regina sp. nov., Holotype; K, Entomobrya restitutasp. nov., Paratype; L, Entomobrya salina sp. nov., Paratype; M, Entomobrya stirlingensis sp. nov., Paratype; N, Entomobrya tasmomarginata sp. nov., Holotype; O, P, E. termitophila, O, dorsal view, P, lateral view. Bar=0.5 mm.

FIGURE 25. Entomobrya ludimus sp. nov. Line drawings A–E: A, labral papillae (bar=0.015 mm); B, head chaetotaxy; C, Th II chaetotaxy; D, Abd II–III chaetotaxy; E, Abd IV chaetotaxy. Bar for B–E=0.05 mm.

FIGURE 26. Entomobrya militum sp. nov. Line drawings A–D:A, head chaetotaxy; B, Th II chaetotaxy; C, Abd II–III chaetotaxy; D, Abd IV chaetotaxy. Bar=0.05 mm.