A synthesis of the current knowledge on the Australian Orchesellidae (Collembola, Entomobryoidea)
- Authors: Bellini, Bruno , Greenslade, Penelope , Baquero, Enrique , Jordana, Rafael , De Souza, Paolla
- Date: 2022
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Zootaxa Vol. 5115, no. 2 (2022), p. 221-257
- Full Text: false
- Reviewed:
- Description: The Australian Orchesellidae includes only 11 nominal species in four genera: Australotomurus Stach, 1947, Alloscopus Börner, 1906, Heteromurus Wankel, 1860, and Falcomurus Mandal, 2018. Here we describe Dicranocentrus dolosus sp. nov. from Cocos and Keeling Islands, the first species of the genus to be recorded from Australia. The new species is similar to D. inermodentes (Uchida, 1944) and D. indicus Bonet, 1930, but differs from both by the combination of the ventral head, mesothoracic and dental chaetotaxy. We also revisit Australotomurus based on previous studies to better interpret the dorsal macrochaetotaxy of the genus, and provide a synthetic map of chaetae to guide future studies on scaleless Orchesellidae. Finally, we present updated diagnoses to all genera and species of Australian Orchesellidae, as well as an identification key to all species. © 2022 Magnolia Press.
Biogeographical and ecological insights from Australasian faunas : the megadiverse collembolan genus, entomobrya (entomobryidae)
- Authors: Jordana, Rafael , Greenslade, Penelope
- Date: 2020
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Zootaxa Vol. 4770, no. 1 (2020), p. 1-104
- Full Text: false
- Reviewed:
- Description: Originally the genus Entomobrya (Collembola: Entomobryidae) comprised 25 species names in Australia including 7 subspecies of which 13 were exotic (50%) and the rest native. All native species had been either described by H. Schött or H. Womersley and had not been examined since 1942. Specific characters they used were few, mainly colour pattern and gross morphological features such as unguis, unguis teeth and mucronal form. Chaetotaxic characters have now been developed. We now here recognise 47 species of Australian Entomobrya and Hymalanura based on a large collection made over 50 years. Six species (12%) are now recognised as introduced, 37 are new and three unresolved because of lack of specimens in good condition. Detailed descriptions and figures are supplied. Several new species are short-range endemics of conservation significance, others are specialised as to habitat, but most are widespread. Entomobrya is now the most species rich genus of Australian Collembola. A phylogenetic tree based on morphological and biological characters revealed clusters of exotic and montane habitat specialists, indicating that the genus is paraphyletic and so confirms other authors' work based on molecular characters. A key is supplied to Australian genera of Entomobryomorpha. A new genus record, Himalanura, is recognised extending its range to the Southern Hemisphere and 5,000 km further southeast. © 2020 Magnolia Press.
Description and conservation status of a new species of Australotomurus (collembola: Entomobryidae: Orchesellinae) from urban Perth remnant bushland
- Authors: Greenslade, Penelope , Jordana, Rafael
- Date: 2014
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Zootaxa Vol. 3872, no. 5 (2014), p. 561-576
- Full Text: false
- Reviewed:
- Description: A new species of the Australian endemic genus Australotomurus Stach, 1947 A. morbidus sp. nov., is described from four urban remnants in Perth. Australotomurus morbidus sp. nov. is the first species in the genus found to possess male sec-ondary sexual characters on antennal segment III as well as I. The males of all other described species in the genus occur-ring in south-eastern Australia have secondary sexual characters on antennal segments I and II rather than I and III. Typical habitats for Australotomurus species are long undisturbed native grasslands and heathland at low and high elevations. The new species extends the known distribution of the genus ca. 2,000 km west. Australotomurus morbidus sp. nov. is the only species in the genus currently vulnerable to extinction because of its restricted distribution to only four localities, all of which are subject to considerable human disturbance. This species was listed as critically endangered when it was known (but not yet described) from only one locality but was delisted a few years later when three other locations for the species were found. The history and records of A. morbidus sp. nov. suggest that listing species using current Western Australian legislation does not necessarily protect vulnerable species. The new species is described here and new records for some other Australian species of Orchesellinae provided, including the first Australian record of Heteromurus major (Moniez, 1889). Copyright © 2014 Magnolia Press.