Paravietnura gen. n., a new intriguing genus of Neanurini from the Caucasus (Collembola, Neanuridae, Neanurinae)

Abstract

Paravietnura gen. n. is described and established for two new species of Neanurini from the Caucasus. The new genus is characterized by an unusual combination of features: the fusion of all lateral tubercles on the head into a single mass, the strong reduction of chaetae on the head, the fusion of cephalic tubercles Af and Oc into a transverse band, the absence of labial chaetae f, the presence of microchaetae on furca rudimentary, and the penultimate abdominal tergum with two tubercles separated along the midline. Paravietnura gen. n. strongly resembles Vietnura Deharveng & Bedos, 2000, a monotypic genus up to date known only from Vietnam. The main characteristics of Paravietnura notabilis sp. n. include an ogival labrum, the absence of chaetae A on the head, relatively thick and widely sheathed long macrochaetae, and minute microchaetae without chaetopores on furca rudimentary. Paravietnura insolita sp. n. differs from the previous species in chaetotaxic details, the size of furcal microchaetae, and the shape of the labrum. Short comments on the generic diversity of the tribe in the Western Palaearctic are also provided.

Contribution to the knowledge of Neanurinae of north-western Iran with description of seven new species (Collembola, Neanuridae)

“…nov. is also similar to two species with toothed claw: E. dentifera Smolis, Skarżyński, Pomorski &Kaprus', 2007 andE. dobrolyubovae Smolis &Kuznetsova, 2018, described from the Crimea and the Caucasus, respectively (Smolis et al 2007;Smolis and Kuznetsova 2018). These species differ, however, in a number of details: the shape of the buccal cone (in annae, wide and short, in dentifera and dobrolyubovae, narrow and relatively long), the presence of chaeta C on the head (in annae, absent, in dentifera and dobrolyubovae, present), the presence and location of chaeta E on the head (in annae, present and connected with tubercle Af, in dentifera, present and free, in dobrolyubovae, absent), the number of chaetae (L+So) on the head (in dentifera, 10 chaetae, in annae and dobrolyubovae, 8 chaetae), the presence of tubercle Di on Th.…”

“…Remarks. No doubt, the new species is the third member of the remarkable Neanurinae genus Paravietnura Smolis & Kuznetsova, 2018 described recently from the Caucasus (Smolis and Kuznetsova 2018). Paravietnura rostrata sp.…”

“…However, the last decade has resulted in a real explosion of research on Iranian Collembola. Taking into account all recent data, one can conclude that Neanurinae fauna of Iran contains 21 species of the following genera: Bilobella Caroli, 1912 -1;Cryptonura Cassagnau, 1979 -2;Deutonura Cassagnau, 1979 -5;Endonura Cassagnau, 1979 -8;Neanura MacGilliwray, 1893 -2;Paravietnura Smolis & Kuznetsova, 2018 -1;Persanura Mayvan, Smolis & Skarżyński, 2015 -1;Protanura Börner, 1906and Thaumanura Börner, 1932-1 (Cox 1982Smolis et al 2012;Mayvan et al 2015b;Smolis et al 2016aSmolis et al , b, 2017Smolis and Kuznetsova 2018;. Despite the fact that the image of diversity and richness of Iranian Neanurinae is still incomplete, some general comments can be made.…”

“…Paravietnura rostrata sp. nov. seems to be the closest to P. notabilis Smolis & Kuznetsova, 2018; however, it can be easily separated from the mentioned species because of the reduction of its cephalic chaetotaxy (in rostrata, chaetae G and Ocp absent, in notabilis, present), extremely elongated labrum, which is well visible from above (in notabilis, feebly elongated and practically invisible from above), absence of prelabral chaetae (in notabilis, 2 chaetae present), the presence of 1+1 chaetae De on Th. I (in notabilis, 2+2 chaetae present), the absence of chaetae Di3 on Th.…”

New Lobellini (Collembola: Neanuridae) from Queensland contribute to understanding distribution and ecology of Australian fauna

“…Australian members of the subfamily Neanurinae, currently comprise seven genera and 25 species out of a world fauna of 106 genera and 810 species (Smolis & Bernard 2017; Smolis & Kuznetsova 2018; Bellinger et al . 2019).…”