Pygmarrhopalites pygmaeus ( Wankel, 1860 )

Zeppelini, Douglas, Taylor, Steven J. & Slay, Michael E., 2009, Cave Pygmarrhopalites Vargovitsh, 2009 (Collembola, Symphypleona, Arrhopalitidae) in United States, Zootaxa 2204, pp. 1-18 : 16

Pygmarrhopalites pygmaeus ( Wankel, 1860)

Material examined: USA: ARKANSAS: Marion Co.: Forest Trail Ridge Cave, 8-vi-04, M.E. Slay, C.J. Bitting; Long Ear Mine, 28-v-04, M.E. Slay, W. Baker; Morning Star Mine #5, #6, 29-v-04, M.E. Slay, C.J. Bitting; Morning Star Mine #7, 7-vi-04, M.E. Slay; Overlook(ed) Cave, 8-vi-04, M.E. Slay, C.J. Bitting; Square Cave, 25-vii-04, Tony Bend Mine #3, 26-vii-04, M.E. Slay, C. Brickey; Newton Co.: Hutchinson Waterfall Cave, 29-xii-04, M.E. Slay, C.J. Bitting, C.A. Melhart; NW41bb Cave, 4-iii-06, W. Baker; Toney Barnes Cave, 16-ix-04, M.E. Slay, C.J. Bitting; Seashell Dome Cave, 11-xii-05, M.E. Slay, C. Brickey; MISSOURI: Pulaski Co.: Andy’s Cave #1, #2, 11-iv-04, S.J. Taylor, M.E. Slay, J. Jacoby; Breeden Cave, 25- x-03, S.J. Taylor, M.E. Slay; Brooks Cave, 18-vi-04, M.E. Slay; Chuck’s Virgin Cave, 20-Apr-03, S.J. Taylor, M.E. Slay; David’s Cave, 28-iii-03, Davis Cave #1, 27-iii-03, S.J. Taylor, V.R. Block; Davis No. 2 Cave, 17- vi-04, Davis No. 3 Cave, 26-x-03, S.J. Taylor, M.E. Slay; Deadman Cave, 19-iv-03, S.J. Taylor, V.R. Block; Eight Cave, 24-x-03, Joint East Cave, 10-iv-04, Joint West Cave, 10-iv-04, S.J. Taylor, M.E. Slay; Joy Cave, 18-vi-04, M.E. Slay; Kerr Cave, 26-iii-03, K. Lohraff, S.J. Taylor, V.R. Block; Kilman Cave, 25-iii-03, King Cave, 28-iii-03, Lohraff Cave, 28-iii-03, S.J. Taylor, V.R. Block; Lower Hooten Cave, 14-v-04, S.J. Taylor, M.E. Slay; Martin Cave, 29-v-03, S.J. Taylor, V.R. Block; Martin Cave, 14-v-04, S.J. Taylor, M.E. Slay, K. Lohraff; Miller Cave, 22-iii-03, M.E. Slay, S.J. Taylor, V.R. Block; New Arch Cave, 5-ix-04, M.E. Slay, C.A. Melhart, S.J. Taylor; Paleospring Cave, 21-xii-04, Saltpeter Cave, 9-i-04, S.J. Taylor, M.E. Slay; Turtle Trap Cave, 6-ix-04, M.E. Slay, C.A. Melhart; Wilson Cave, 8-i-04, S.J. Taylor, M.E. Slay; Wolf Den Cave, 15-vi- 0 4, S.J. Taylor, M.E. Slay, K. Lohraff; OKLAHOMA: Adair Co.: Pea Vine Cave, 2-v-04, G. O. Graening, D.B. Fenolio, M.E. Slay; Delaware Co.: Rock Quarry Cave, 25-vii-05, Surprise Cave, 27-vii-05, G. O. Graening, M.E. Slay.

Remarks. Nearly all collections were taken within dark zones with the exception of six samples from twilight zones and one sample collected from an entrance. For a subset of records (n=34), relative humidity and temperature were recorded (mean ± SE). Average relative humidity was 94.34 ± 0.67%, average temperature at 2 cm soil depth was 13.6 ± 0.35°C, and average temperature 1 m above cave floor was 14.93 ± 0.49°C. Of 40 collections where sampling method was noted, 33 (82.5%) were from pitfall traps baited with limburger cheese (traps were in place for 3–6 days). The remaining 7 (17.5%) P. pygmaeus samples were collected by hand.