Protaphorura jernika, Kaprus', Igor, Weiner, Wanda & Pasnik, Grzegorz, 2016

Kaprus', Igor, Weiner, Wanda & Pasnik, Grzegorz, 2016, Collembola of the genus Protaphorura Absolon, 1901 (Onychiuridae) in the Eastern Palearctic: morphology, distribution, identification key, ZooKeys 620, pp. 119-150 : 121-123

Taxon classification Animalia Collembola Onychiuridae

Protaphorura jernika sp. n. Figs 10-17, 58

Type material.

Holotype (female): Russia, N-E Altai, Turochak Region, Altyn-Tu Mt. Ridge, Archa Mt, mountain shrub tundra (=jernik tundra) with Betula rotundifolia , moss, 1700-1800 m alt., 51°31'N, 87°27'E, 9.VIII.2002, leg. E.V. Sleptsova (ISEA). Paratypes: 2 males, same data as holotype (SNHM).

Diagnosis.

PAO with 39-44 simple vesicles. Pso formula dorsally 32/033/33342, ventrally 2/000/0001, subcoxae 1 of I–III legs with 1,1,1 pso respectively. Submedial pso a and b on Abd. terga I–II located far from each other. Psx formula on Abd. sterna: 111000. Th. tergum I with 12 –15+12– 15 chaetae, chaeta m present. Chaetae s' absent on Abd. terga I–III and V. Manubrial field with 16-17 chaetae in 4 rows. Claw without lateral denticles.

Description.

Holotype (female) length 1.8 mm, length of paratypes: 1.4 mm (males). Shape of body typical for the genus: cylindrical with strong AS on distinct papillae (Fig. 10). Colour in alcohol yellowish-white. Granulation distinct, usually slightly coarser on head, Abd. tergum VI and around pso. Usually 9-11 grains around each pso.

Antennae slightly shorter than head, their base well marked. Ant. I with 10 chaetae, Ant. II with 18 chaetae. AIIIO consisting of 5 guard chaetae, 5 papillae, 2 smooth sensory rods, 2 straight and granulated sensory clubs, ventro-lateral microsensillum present (Fig. 12). Ant. IV with subapical organite in unprotected cavity without clear cuticular papilla. Microsensillum on Ant. IV in usual position on the level of second proximal row of chaetae. Ant. IV ventrally with very numerous chaetae (ca. 70-75) (Fig. 14). Sensilla indistinct on Ant. IV.

PAO of middle length with 39-44 simple vesicles (Fig. 15). Labral formula of chaetae: 4/342. Maxillary outer lobe with simple palp, basal chaeta and with two sublobal hairs. Labial palp of type A. Labium with 6 proximal, 4 basomedian (E, F, G, and f), and 6 basolateral chaetae (a, b, c, d, e, e’). Papillae A-E with 1, 4, 0, 3, 3 guard chaetae respectively.

Pso formula dorsally 32/033/33342, ventrally 2/000/0001 (Figs 10, 11, 13, 17). Subcoxae 1 of I–III legs with one pso and one psx each. Submedial pso a and b on Abd. terga I–II located far apart, i.e. on similar distance as on Abd. tergum III (Fig. 13). Psx present on Abd. sterna I–III (psx formula 0/000/111000). Psp formula dorsally 0/011/1111, ventrally 0/111/01m1m1m, coxae with 1 psp each.

Dorsal chaetotaxy, slightly asymmetrical and rather plurichaetotic, as in Figs 10 and 13. Dorsal chaetae rather well differentiated into macrochaetae and microchaetae. Sensory chaetae s indistinct on body. On head p1 chaetae are displaced forward in relation to p2-p4 (Fig. 10). Chaetae p6 on head located between pso a and b. Th. tergum I with 12 –15+12– 15 chaetae, chaeta m present (chaetotaxy type i2-3m). Both Th. terga II and III with lateral microsensilla and with 5+5 or 6+6 axial microchaetae. Chaetae s' absent on Abd. terga I–III and V. On Abd. tergum IV in axial area between M2 and P2 macrochaetae located 8-12 chaetae, medial chaeta m0 present (rarely absent) (Fig. 10). Abd. tergum V usually with 1-2 unpaired microchaeta m0 and p0 (sometimes m0 absent) (Fig. 10). Abd. tergum VI with 1-2 medial chaetae a0 and m0 (rarely a0 absent). Relative position of prespinal microchaetae usually of parallel type (Fig. 10). M/s ratio on Abd. tergum V as 13.6 –17.6/5.6– 6.9 (AS = 10). AS 1.1 times longer then inner edge of claw and 2.6 times longer then their basal diameter.

Chaetotaxy of ventral side of head as in Fig. 11. Perilabial area with 4+4 a-chaetae (Fig. 11). Postlabial chaetae 5-6+5-6 along ventral groove. Th. sterna I–III with 0+0, 1+1, 1+1 chaetae respectively. VT with ca. 8 –9+8– 10 chaetae and 1+2 chaetae at base. Furcal rudiment: cuticular fold (located on the anterior edge of sternum) with 2+2 dental microchaetae in 2 rows. Chaetotaxy of manubrial field: 4 chaetae present in ma-row, 4 chaetae in mm’ -row, 4 chaetae in mm-row and 4-5 chaetae in mp-row (Fig. 17). MVO absent. Each lateral anal valves with a0, 2a1 and 2a2; upper anal valve with chaetae a0, 2a2, 2b1, 2b2, c0, 2c1 and 2c2 (Fig. 58).

Subcoxae 1 of I, II and III legs with 5-7, 6-8, 5-6 chaetae, subcoxae 2 with 1, 5, 5, coxae with 3, 8, 14, trochanters with 11, 11, 10, femora with 19 each, tibiotarsi with four rows of chaetae (distal whorl (A+T)+B+C): 11+8+3, 11+8+3, 11+8+4 chaetae respectively. Claw with strong denticle in 1/2 of inner edge of claw (Fig. 16). Empodial appendage of same length as inner edge of claw, without basal lamella (Fig. 16).

Etymology.

The name of the new species refers to the Russian “jernik” (= shrub tundra or tundra with dwarf birch).

Discussion.

Protaphorura jernika sp. n. belongs to the group of Protaphorura species with pseudocelli on subcoxa 1 of all legs and 2+2 pso ventrally on head. By the presence of 1+1 pso on Abd. sternum IV, the new species is similar to the Protaphorura vasilinae sp. n. Both species differ only in the formula of dorsal pso and ventral psx on Abd. sterna: the former has 32/033/33342 pso and 111000 psx whereas the latter 32/022/33332 pso and 110001mpsx (see also diagnosis of Protaphorura vasilinae sp. n.). Protaphorura jernika sp. n. differs from other two Eastern Palearctic representatives of this group, Protaphorura merita Kaprus’ & Pomorski, 2008 and Protaphorura buryatica Gulgenova & Potapov, 2013 by dorsal pso formula (32/033/33342 in the new species vs 32(3)/012/33342 in buryatica and 43/02(3)2(3)/3335(4,6)3(4) in merita ), by the presence of 1+1 pso on abd. sternum IV in the new species and lack in the both other, by the number of vesicles in PAO (39-44 in the new species, 12-13 in buryatica and 16-22 in buryatica ).