Lepidonella zeppelinii, Soto-Adames & Bellini, 2015

Soto-Adames, Felipe N. & Bellini, Bruno C., 2015, Dorsal chaetotaxy of neotropical species supports a basal position for the genus Lepidonella among scaled Paronellidae (Collembola, Entomobryoidea), Florida Entomologist 98 (1), pp. 330-330 : 330-

Lepidonella zeppelinii sp. nov. Soto-Adames & Bellini ( Figs. 1-14 )

DESCRIPTION

Size. Total length of holotype 1,8 mm. Habitus typical entomobryoid ( Fig. 1 ).

Color. Specimens in alcohol pale yellow with dark blue pigment covering eyepatches, and light blue pigment over antennae, lateral margins of meso- and metathorax, and terminal region of Abd. 4 and 5.

Scales. Brownish, apically rounded or truncate, and striated. Scales covering Ant. I-II, both faces of head, thorax, abdomen, all leg segments, and ventral face of manubrium and dentes. Ventral tube without scales.

Head. Antennae shorter than body ( Fig. 1 ). Ant. 4 not subdivided or annulated, apical bulb absent. Ant. 3 sense organ as in Fig. 2 , with 2 rods and 3 lateral guard sensilla; additional blunt sensilla are scattered through the distal end of the segment. Eyes 8+8, lenses A to F well developed, subequal, lenses G and H smaller, barely visible in cleared specimens ( Fig. 4 ). Eyepatch valley with 4-5 mesosetae; q, t, r, p always present; s sometimes absent ( Figs. 3-4 ). Head dorsal chaetotaxy ( Fig. 3 ) with 14 pre-antennal macrosetae (An series); 6 anterior setae (macrosetae A0 and A2; microsetae, A1a, A1, A3 and A5); 4 medio-ocellar setae (microsetae M1, M2 and M3 and macroseta M4); 3 sutural microsetae (S2, S4 and S6); 3 post-sutural microsetae (Ps2, Ps3 and Ps5); and 13 posterior setae (microsetae Pa1, Pa2, Pa5, Pm1, Pm2, Pp1, Pp2, Pp3, Pp4 and Pp5; macroseta Pa5 and Pm3; and bothriotrix Pa6). Prelabral setae ciliate, labral setae smooth. Distal margin of labrum smooth, without spine-like structures. Pleural setae differing: basal seta smooth, as long as other surrounding setae; distal seta smooth and short. Maxillary palp with apical and basal setae smooth, apical setae longer than basal; sublobal plate with 2 appendages ( Fig. 7 ). Labial palp papilla E with 4 setae, lateral appendage acuminate, seta-like, surpassing tip of papilla ( Fig. 8 ). Proximal setae of labial palp smooth ( Fig. 6 ). Labial triangle formula as M1M2M3rEL1L2A1-5; r smooth and reduced ( Fig. 6 ). All post labial setae ciliate; setae along ventral groove 4+4, cervical setae 7+7; other postlabial setae as in Fig. 5 .

Body. Complete macroseta formula 32/30/0244+0+9 ( Figs. 3 , 9-10 ). Chaetotaxy of Th. 2 as in Fig. 9 : with 1 anterior (a5) and 3 posterior macrosetae (p3 complex, possibly comprising p4 and a duplication of p3); medial row with 4 microsetae (m2, m4, m5, m6?); posterior row with 4 microsetae (p1, p2, p5, p6, m6). Th. 3 with 15 setae: 5 anterior microsetae (a1, a2, a4, a6, a7); 5 medial microsetae (m4, m5, m6, m6a?, m7); and 5 posterior microsetae (p1, p3, p4, p5, p6). Abd. 1 with 1 accessory sensilla (as) and 8-9 microsetae: setae m2, m3, m4, a5, p5, p6, m6 and a6 always present; seta m5 present or absent. Abd. 2 with 2 bothriotricha (m2, a5), 2 macrosetae (m3, m5) and 1 sensilla (as): m2 surrounded by 3 fan-shaped setae (mi, a2, m3e), sensilla as and macroseta m3; microseta a3 inserted external to m2; a5 surrounded by 4 fan-shaped setae (Li, Lm, a6 and m4?) and macroseta m5; microsetae a3, p5, p5a, a6, p6, m6 and el? present. Abd. 3 with 3 bothriotricha (m2, a5, m5), 4 macrosetae (m3, am6, pm6, p6) and 2 sensilla (as, d2); m2 surrounded by 2 fan-shaped setae and microseta a2; a5 and m5 surrounded by 8 fan-shaped setae; 6 other microsetae present (p 5 m 7, p7, m7e, p7p, el?). Abd. 4 with 4 inner and 9 outer macrosetae ( Fig. 10 ) with 8+8 posterior setae

Legs. Trochanteral organ shaped as in Fig. 11 , with approximately 21 small spine-like setae. Hind empodial complex as in Fig. 12 , tenenthair weakly spatulate, clearly shorter than unguis. Unguis with 4 inner teeth, basal paired teeth larger than distal unpaired teeth; external teeth inserted near middle of outer edge of unguis. Unguiculus ( Fig. 12 ) lanceolate to acuminate, with outer margin finely serrated.

Ventral Tube. Anterior face with many ciliate setae.Latero-distal flaps with 6+6 smooth mesosetae. Posterior face with 11+11 ciliate setae.

Furcula. Dens bearing 2 dorsal rows of weakly ciliate spines, with up to 23 spines in each row ( Fig. 13 ). Mucro longer than wider, with 4 blunt teeth ( Fig. 13-14 ).

TYPE MATERIAL

Holotype: Brazil, Rio Grande do Norte, Macaíba municipality, 12.X.2011, coll. B. C. Bellini, female, in preparation, deposited at Collembola Collection of DBEZ /UFRN . Paratypes: Same locality as holotype, 1 male and 2 females in preparation deposited at Collembola Collection of DBEZ / UFRN; 1 male and 1 female in preparation deposited at the CM / MNRJ .

DISTRIBUTION AND HABITAT

Lepidonella zeppelinii sp. nov. was found in different locations of Macaíba and Natal municipalities, Rio Grande do Norte State, northeastern Brazil. The new species was found in urban remnants of Atlantic Rain Forest, over sand dune soil and dead foliage. This distribution suggests the species has some resilience to anthropic impacts. The climate of the region is ‘As’ following Koeppen system, with a long dry summer and short wet winter ( Kottek et al. 2006).

REMARKS

Lepidonella zeppelinii sp. nov. is the only member of the genus with lanceolate unguiculus, four inner macrosetae on Abd. 4, scales covering Ant. 1-2 and all leg segments, and labial triangle setae M2 and E ciliate. The new species is most similar to L. lecongkieti , but the characters listed above distinguish the two species. Among the incompletely described species, L. zeppelinii sp. nov. is most similar to L. flava ( Carpenter, 1916) , but the new species carries four inner ungual teeth and four mucronal teeth whereas L. flava has three ungual teeth and five mucronal teeth.

This species shows a combination of characters suggesting a tran- sitional stage between Lepidonella and Trogolaphysa . The distribution of postlabial setae in columns C, presence of cervical setae, differen- tiation of distal pleural seta, duplication of seta p3 on the mesothorax and reduction in number of microsetae on the first abdominal segment point to affinities with Trogolaphysa ( Soto-Adames & Taylor 2013) . However, the presence of head seta Ps3, relative position of eyes G and H and the absence of fourth abdominal bothriotricha D4 place L. zeppelinii sp. nov. outside of Trogolaphysa .

ETYMOLOGY

The new species honors Douglas Zeppelini, for his incessant men- toring and years of support to the junior author.

MATERIAL EXAMINED

Brazil, Rio Grande do Norte, Macaíba municipality, 12.X.2011, coll. B. C. Bellini, 4 females and 2 males. Macaíba municipality, 10.VII.2013, coll. R. V. C. Lima, 3 males. Natal municipality Parque da Cidade , B. C. Bellini, 1 male and 1 female. All specimens deposited in the Collembola Collection at DBEZ /UFRN .

Lepidonella marimuti Soto-Adames and Bellini , new name for Lepidonella incerta (Mari Mutt, 1988) , nec Handschin, 1925 ( Figs. 15-23 )

Microparonella incerta Mari Mutt, 1988: 404 (original description); Mari Mutt & Bellinger 1996: 171 (Catalog of Neotropical Collembola )

Lepidonella incerta (Mari Mutt, 1988) Deharveng & Bedos 1995: 22 (new combination); Soto-Adames 2002: 99 (new record, US Virgin Islands).

ADDITIONS TO ORIGINAL DESCRIPTION

Head. Subapical sense organ of Ant. 4 capitate, minute ( Fig. 17 ). Main sensilla on Ant. 3 sense organ short, barely projecting beyond cuticular fold, in some individuals appearing as pegs wider near the middle than at the tip ( Fig. 18 ), whereas in other individuals they are capitate ( Fig. 19 ). Head dorsally ( Figs. 15-16 ) with 6-7+6-7 setae on antennal (An) row and 5 macrosetae (A0, A2, A3, M2, S3, Pa5). Pleural setae coarsely ciliate, subequal, as long as surrounding ciliate setae. Sublobal plate of outer maxillary palp with 3 appendages ( Fig. 20 ). Labial papilla E with 4 basal setae, lateral appendage acuminate, seta-like, curved anteriorly. Labial palp with 5 serrate proximal setae. Postlabial region with few scales (‘v’-shaped symbols in Fig. 21 ) and setae; 1-2 short smooth setae present, all other setae ciliate; setae along cephalic groove 3+3, posterior seta considerably larger than anterior setae; cervical setae absent.

Body. Complete macrosetae formula 51/10/0242+1+7 ( Figs. 15 , 22-23 ). Mesothorax with macroseta p3 ( Fig. 22 ). Abd. 1 seta a6 present. Abd. 2 with a2, m3e, a6 and all supplementary setae ciliate; a3 anterior and internal to a2; macrosetae m3 and m5 present. Abd. 3 with a2, a3, a6, a7 and all supplementary setae ciliate; p3 inserted close to bothriotrix m2; d2 present; a7 inserted internal to am6, and posterior to bothriotrix a5; macrosetae am6, pm6, p6 and m7e present. Abd. 4 ( Fig. 23 ) with inner macrosetae B5, B6 and C1, inserted in zones 9, 10 and 7, respectively; supplementary setae anterior to bothriotrix T2 ciliate, all other setae in bothriotrichal complex smooth; T6, D3, E2, E3 and F1 large macrosetae; D2 and F3 small macrosetae; E1 a smooth microseta, F2 absent; posterior setae 7+7.

Legs. Trochanteral organ ‘V’-shaped, with 14-16 setae.

REMARKS

This is the only member of the genus with an apical bulb on Ant. 4 and an elongate mucro with 3 teeth. This is the most morphologically distinct and isolated member of the genus so far described. There is extensive variation in color pattern, ranging from the distinctive pattern accompanying the originally description of the species ( Fig. 30 in Mari Mutt, 1987) to individuals without pigment except for antennae, eye patch and coxae. The individuals from the Dominican Republic are identical to the material from Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands in all morphological details.

ETYMOLOGY

As pointed out by Deharveng & Bedos (1995), transference of L. incerta (Mari Mutt) to Lepidonella created a junior homonym of L. incerta (Handschin) . The new name honors José Mari Mut, who originally described the species.

MATERIAL EXAMINED

Puerto Rico, Isabela, Guajataca Commonwealth Forest, Road 446, N 18.41396 W - 66.97029, leaf litter top of mogote, 15. V.2009, F. Soto, 2 individuals in preparation; as above, but N 18.41714 W - 66.96459, along Nico’s Trail, 25.IV.2010, F.Soto,1 individual in preparation.Oroco- vis, Rd. 155 near Km 22.2, beating grasses along roadside, 19. VI.2001, F. Soto, 3 individuals in preparation .

US Virgin Islands, St. John , Cinnamon Trail, leaf litter, 30.VI.2000, F. Soto, 1 individual in preparation .

Dominican Republic, Pedernales, Sierra de Baoruco, Aceitillar , 25.2 Km ENE Pedernales, N 18.09957 W - 71.52112, 1272m, dense broad- leaf and pine forest, yellow pan trap, sample DR42262B, 14. VI.2003, C. Young, J. Rawlings, C. Núñez, R. Davidson, P. Acevedo, M. de la Cruz, 1 individual in preparation . La Vega, Cordillera Central, Valle Nuevo Station, 5.2 Km ESE Valle Nuevo , N 18.77777 W - 70.64056, 2288m, open pine forest on slope, yellow pan trap, sample DR23162B, 23. V.2003, C. Young, J. Rawlings, C. Núñez, R. Davidson, P. Acevedo, 1 individual in preparation .

Figures

Figs.1-8. Lepidonella zeppelinii sp. nov., arrows point anteriorly and outer sides,setae that may be present or absent are marked with a line; (1) Habitus; (2) Sense organ antennal segment 3 and associated setae and sensilla; (3) Dorsal chaetotaxy of head, open and closed circles are macro- and microsetae, respectively; (4) Eyepatch; (5) Chaetotaxy of postlabium, all setae are ciliate; (6) Labial palp and labial triangle; (7) Maxillary palp and sublobal plate; (8) Labial papilla E.

Fig. 9. Lepidonella zeppelinii sp. nov., dorsal chaetotaxy of thorax 2 to abdo- men 3.

Figs. 10-14. Lepidonella zeppelinii sp. nov.; (10) Dorsal chaetotaxy of abdomen 4; (11) Trochanteral organ; (12) Metathoracic claw complex; (13) Dens and mucro; (14) Detail of mucro.

Figs. 15-21. Lepidonella marimuti; (15) complete dorsal chaetotaxy of head; (16) Detail of anterior chaetotaxy of head;(17) Apical bulb and subapical sense organ of antennal segment 4; (18-19) Sensilla of antennal segment 3 sense organ in different individuals; (20) Maxillary palp and sublobal plate; (21) Chaetotaxy of labial triangle and postlabium, ‘v’ symbols represent scales.

Fig. 22. Lepidonella marimuti, dorsal chaetotaxy of thorax 2 to abdomen 3.

Fig. 23. Lepidonella marimuti, dorsal chaetotaxy of abdomen 4.

Figs. 24-39. Figs. 24-26 Metathoracic claw complex; (24) L. marimuti, afer Mari Mutt 1987; (25) L. nigrofasciata; (26) L. oudemansi; Figs. 25-26 afer Yoshii 1983. Figs. 27-29 Mucro;(27) L. kei afer Yoshii and Suhardjono 1992a;(28) L. oudemansi afer Yoshii 1983; (29) L. tokiokai afer Yoshii 1960.Figs.30-37 Color pattern;(30) L. kei, afer Yoshii and Suhardjono 1992a; (31) L. duodecimoculata afer Prabhoo 1971; (32) L. oudemansi afer Yoshii 1983; (33) L. nigrofasciata afer Handschin 1928;(35) L. ceylonica afer Yoshii 1966;(35-37) L. annulicornis afer Yoshii 1981;(38) L. subcarpenteri color pattern afer Denis 1948; (39) L. lecongkieti chaetotaxy of labial triangle afer Deharveng & Bedos 1995.