New Australian Paronellidae (Collembola) reveal anomalies in existing tribal diagnoses

Abstract

We describe here two new species, Zhuqinia jingwanae, gen. & sp. nov. and Paronellides praefectus, sp. nov., both from Mount Twynam, New South Wales, Australia. The systematic position of Zhuqinia, gen. nov. in relation to other paronellids is not clear because the new genus possesses pointed, heavily striated scales similar to species of Callyntrurini. However, unlike species in that tribe, it lacks dental scales. Instead, Zhuqinia, gen. nov. is more similar to the unscaled genus Paronellides (Cremastocephalini) in other characters (abundant tergal macrochaetae, 2, 2|1, 2, 2, ?, 3 tergal S-chaetae, moderately long mucro with two teeth, etc.) but body scales are absent in all species of Paronellides. Multilocus phylogeny shows Zhuqinia, gen. nov. clustering with Paronellides rather than Callyntrurini or other Cremastocephalini genera. This study provides new information on the relationships between paronellid taxa, and changes the current higher classification of the family, particularly that of the tribes Cremastocephalini and Callyntrurini. As the new genus is known only from two peaks in the Snowy Mountain range, our data emphasise the role of montane areas as refugia for short-range endemic taxa.

The discovery of Neotropical Lepidosira (Collembola, Entomobryidae) and its systematic position

“…Our analyses recovered the topology of derived Entomobryidae as: Lepidocyrtinae + (Entomobryinae + Seirinae), consistent with the results of recent studies (Zhang, Ma, et al, ; Zhang et al, , ). However, we identified Orchesellinae as the sister group of Heteromurinae, and Isotomidae as the sister group of Tomoceridae, both in disagreement with the same studies.…”

“…Entomobrya and Willowsia were not recovered as monophyletic taxa, as seen in previous studies (Katz, Giordano, & Soto‐Adames, , ; Zhang et al, , , ; Zhang & Deharveng, ; Zhang, Ma, et al, ). Otherwise Homidia and Sinella appeared as natural groups, in agreement with all recent revisions to Homidia (Zhang et al, , , ; Zhang & Deharveng, ; Zhang, Ma, et al, ), and most to Sinella (Zhang et al, , ; Zhang & Deharveng, ; Zhang, Ma, et al, ), but not all (Zhang et al, ). The monophyly of Seirinae was also recovered as recent studies suggested (Zhang et al, , , ; Zhang & Deharveng, ; Zhang, Ma, et al, ), including Tyrannoseira .…”

“…Lepidosira was recovered with high support as an ingroup of this subfamily, and as sister group to Lepidocyrtoides in a clade that is basal to the other Entomobryinae. Entomobrya and Willowsia were not recovered as monophyletic taxa, as seen in previous studies (Katz, Giordano, & Soto-Adames, 2015a, 2015bZhang et al, 2014Zhang et al, , 2016Zhang & Deharveng, 2015;Zhang, Ma, et al, 2017). Otherwise Homidia and Sinella appeared as natural groups, in agreement with all recent revisions to Homidia (Zhang et al, 2014(Zhang et al, , 2016Zhang & Deharveng, 2015;Zhang, Ma, et al, 2017), and most to Sinella (Zhang et al, 2014Zhang & Deharveng, 2015;Zhang, Ma, et al, 2017), but not all (Zhang et al, 2016).…”

“…Otherwise Homidia and Sinella appeared as natural groups, in agreement with all recent revisions to Homidia (Zhang et al, 2014(Zhang et al, , 2016Zhang & Deharveng, 2015;Zhang, Ma, et al, 2017), and most to Sinella (Zhang et al, 2014Zhang & Deharveng, 2015;Zhang, Ma, et al, 2017), but not all (Zhang et al, 2016). The monophyly of Seirinae was also recovered as recent studies suggested (Zhang et al, 2014(Zhang et al, , 2016Zhang & Deharveng, 2015;Zhang, Ma, et al, 2017), including Tyrannoseira. In this first assessment, this last genus appeared as an ingroup of Seira (Figure 3).…”

Addendum

“…The morphospecies referred to as Paronellides sp. at Mt Twynam has now been described as Paronellides praefectus Zhang, Ma, & Greenslade , while the morphospecies referred to as Pseudoparonella sp. at Mt Twynam has now been described (in a new genus) as Zhuqinia jingwanae Zhang, Ma, & Greenslade .…”