Pygmarrhopalites buffaloensis, Zeppelini, Douglas, Taylor, Steven J. & Slay, Michael E., 2009

Zeppelini, Douglas, Taylor, Steven J. & Slay, Michael E., 2009, Cave Pygmarrhopalites Vargovitsh, 2009 (Collembola, Symphypleona, Arrhopalitidae) in United States, Zootaxa 2204, pp. 1-18 : 10-12

Pygmarrhopalites buffaloensis sp. nov.

pygmaeus- group s. str. ( Fig. 4 )

Description. No traces of pigment, dorsal body setae short, very scattered on anterior part, more than twice as long on posterior part of great abdomen, posterior setae longer than third unguis ( Table 2 ). Ant. IV with 6 subsegments ( Fig. 4 A), apex with capitate sense rod. Ant. III not swollen basally; sense organ with 2 parallel sense rods in separate pits; seta Aai curved, blunt; Api and Ape slender, bristle-like and short, Ae, Ap and Ai normal elongate setae, more than twice as long as Ape and Api ( Fig. 4 B). 1+1 eyes present. Dorsal cephalic setae short, not spine-like, M4–5 present ( Fig. 4 C). Metatrochanteral organ elongate ( Fig. 4 D). Seta FSa present on all tibiotarsi. First unguis slender, elongated, all ungues with inner tooth, tunica absent. First unguiculus slender without corner tooth, apical filament exceeding unguis tip. Second and third unguiculi with short apical filament, third unguis lanceolate with corner tooth on distal third ( Figs. 4 E). Corpus tenaculum with two setae ( Fig. 4 F). Dens with 7 dorsal E setae, E1 strongly spine-like, other E setae normal; L1 spine-like, L2–3 present, 4 ventral setae rows (3,2,1,1) present ( Fig. 4 G), dental chaetotaxy in Table 3. Mucro narrow, gutter-like, slightly spoon shaped tip, outer edge serrate, inner edge almost smooth. Anal valve without cuticular spines ( Fig. 4 H); setae C1 normal, C2–6 swollen basally, D5 absent, D6–10 present, chaetotaxy in Table 4 . Female subanal appendage slightly palmate, deeply serrated distally ( Fig. 4 I).

Type material. Holotype (female) (number 1 in the slide): USA, ARKANSAS, Newton Co., Walnut Cave, 29-xii-2003, M.E. Slay, C.J. Bitting leg. ( INHS). Paratypes: 1female mounted in a slide and 2 adults in alcohol, same locality as holotype ( INHS).

Etymology. The type specimens were collected from a cave near the Buffalo River, in northern Arkansas.

Remarks. Pygmarrhopalites buffaloensis was found in single cave at Buffalo National River approximately 26 km upstream from the cave containing P. youngsteadtii . The climate is Cfa, physiographic province Springfield Plateau of the Ozark Plateaus. This species resembles P. s a p o by presenting the E2–7 not spine-like, and can be distinguished from this by the subanal appendages, the absence of D5 on anal valve, and most of its chaetotaxy.

Figures

FIGURE 4. Pygmarrhopalites buffaloensis sp. nov.: A, Fourth antennal segment; B, Apical sensory organ of the third antennal segment; C, Posterior dorsal cephalic chaetotaxy; D, Metatrochanteral organ; E, Empodial complex (a –– first leg, b –– second leg, c –– third leg); F, Tenaculum; G, Dorsal and ventral chaetotaxy of the dens; H, Chaetotaxy of the anal valve; I, Subanal appendage of the female.