Systematic revision of Entomobryidae (Collembola) by integrating molecular and new morphological evidence

Abstract

Entomobryidae, the largest collembolan family, is traditionally classified at suprageneric level using a limited set of morphological structures, such as scales, antennal segmentation. Most tribal and subfamilial delimitations appear, however, disputable in the light of recent works. Integrating molecular and morphological evidence, we propose here a revision of the systematics of the family. In addition to traditional taxonomic characters, tergal specialized chaetae (S‐chaetae) are newly introduced, and their patterns are shown to be diversified at all levels from species to subfamilies. S‐chaetotaxic pattern on phylogenetic tree shows that evolution of S‐chaetae is not parallel between the different terga and that their patterns coincide well with the known molecular phylogeny, providing a powerful tool for the systematics of Entomobryidae. Orchesellinae sensu Soto‐Adames et al. (Annals of the Entomological Society of America, 101, 2008, 501); is divided into three subfamilies: Orchesellinae s. s., Bessoniellinae and Heteromurinae, the latter two upgraded from the original tribal level. Entomobryinae sensu Szeptycki (Morpho‐Systematic Studies on Collembola. IV. Chaetotaxy of the Entomobryidae and its Phylogenetical Significance, 1979), is no longer divided into scaled and unscaled tribes, and Lepidosira‐group is transferred from Seirinae to Entomobryinae. A key to subfamilies and tribes and a comparison with previous classifications of the Entomobryidae are provided. This study greatly improves the understanding of primary and secondary characters and erects the fundamental framework for the taxonomy of Entomobryidae.

A new species of Dicranocentrus Schött from Hainan (China) with a key to the Chinese species of the genus (Collembola, Entomobryidae)

“…On Abd. V, the number of sens is identical to those reported in Zhang and Deharveng (2015), therefore the inner two are supposed to as and acc.p3 here although their positions displace more anteriorly compared to D. wangi and D. liuae .…”

“…Dorsal body chaetae nomenclature follows Szeptycki (1979), dorsal cephalic chaetae follow Mari-Mutt (1979) and Soto-Adames (2008), inter-ocular chaetae follow Mari-Mutt (1986), tergal S-chaetae follow Zhang and Deharveng (2015), labial palp follows Fjellberg (1999), clypeal chaetae follow Yoshii and Suhardjono (1992) and Zhang et al (2016), and labial chaetae follow Gisin (1967). The number of macrochaetae is given by half-tergite in the descriptions.…”

“…Posterior macrochaetae on dorsal head are absent in marias -group, and macrochaeta S2 is present in sundanensis -group but absent in gracilis -group. Dicranocentrus belongs to Heteromurini (Heteromurinae) due to the presence of body scales (Zhang and Deharveng 2015) but its relationships to other genera of Heteromurini are still unclear (Mari-Mutt 1980; Cipola et al 2016). Dorsal cephalic and tergal macrochaetotaxy, differentiated chaetae on tibiotarsi, tenent hairs, dental spines are the main diagnostic characters widely used by Mari-Mutt and subsequent authors.…”

Three new species of Entomobrya (Collembola: Entomobryidae) from China

“…Entomobryidae Tömösvary, 1882 is the largest family of Collembola Lubbock, 1873 and it contains seven subfamilies (Zhang & Louis 2014) with about 1800 species recorded worldwide (Bellinger et al 1996(Bellinger et al -2017. The genus Entomobrya, Rondani, 1861 contains 270 species and is one of the largest genera; it is characterised by four-segmented antennae, eyes 8+8, scales absent, mucro bidentate with a basal spine, and dens without spine.…”

New species of Nothobrya (Collembola: Entomobryidae) from Southeast Brazil

“…It was recently revised by Zhang & Deharveng (2014), who integrated molecular data with information on the specialized tergal chaetae. The new classification proposed included seven subfamilies, one of which, Nothobryinae, is characterized by the presence of PAO, falcate mucro and few chaetae on the trochanteral organ.…”