Endonura diminutichaeta, Smolis, Adrian & Kuznetsova, Nataliya, 2016

Smolis, Adrian & Kuznetsova, Nataliya, 2016, Remarkable diversity of the genus Endonura Cassagnau, 1979 (Collembola: Neanuridae: Neanurinae) in the Caucasus, Zootaxa 4200 (1), pp. 47-82 : 61-66

Endonura diminutichaeta sp. nov.

Figs 41–48 , Tab. 5

Type material. Holotype: adult male on slide, Russia, Caucasus , Krasnodarsky Krai , up from Krasnaya Polyana, Aibga Range (ropeway Gornaya Karusel), nothern slope, 2300 m alt., alpine zone, under Rhododendron caucasicum , N43.64175 ˚, E40.26222 ˚, 29.VI.2014, leg. M. Potapov, N. Kuznetsova, A. Kremenitsa ( MSPU) . Paratypes: female and male on slides, same data as holotype ( DIBEC and MSPU) .

Other material. 2 females, male and 2 juveniles on slides, Russia, Caucasus , Krasnodarsky Krai, between Anapa and Novorossiysk, village Semigorsky, litter from broadleaved forest on canyon floor, N44.89285 ˚ , E37.61940 ˚, 5.VI.2013, leg. M. Potapov, A. Kremenitsa, M. Furgoł, Т. Maulana; male on slide, same data as holotype ; 2 juveniles on slides, Russia, Caucasus , Krasnodarsky Krai , up from Krasnaya Polyana, Achishkho Range (road to Khmelevskiye Lakes), litter from beech forest, 1800 m alt., 30.VI.2014, leg. M. Potapov, N. Kuznetsova, A. Kremenitsa; ( DIBEC and MSPU).

Etymology. The species name refers to notable morphological feature – unusual short chaeta Di1 on abd. IV.

Diagnosis. Habitus typical of the genus Endonura . Dorsal tubercles present and well developed. Eyes 2+2, large and dark pigmented. Buccal cone long, labrum ogival. Head with chaetae A, B, O, C, D, E, F and G. Tubercles Cl and Af separate. Tubercles Dl and (L+So) on head with 4–5 and 10 chaetae respectively. Tubercles Di and De on th. I fused. Tubercles De on th. II and III with 3 and 4 chaetae respectively. Tubercles L on abd. III and IV with 4 and 7 chaetae respectively. Abd. IV and V with 8 and 3 tubercles respectively. Claw without inner tooth. Tibiotarsi with chaetae B4 and B5 relatively long.

Description. Habitus typical of the genus. Body length (without antennae): 0.57 (juvenile)– 1.9 mm (holotype: 1.4 mm). Colour of the body bluish grey. 2+2 large dark-pigmented eyes ( Fig. 43 ).

Types of dorsal ordinary chaetae. Macrochaetae Ml slightly thickened, relatively long, straight or rarely arclike, narrowly sheathed, feebly serrated, apically rounded or pointed ( Figs 43, 46 ); macrochaetae Mc and Mcc thickened, straight, pointed or apically rounded; mesochaetae and microchaetae short, thin and pointed.

Head. Buccal cone long. Labrum ogival, with ventral sclerifications as in Fig. 42 . Labrum chaetotaxy 4/2, 4. Labium as Fig. 41 . Maxilla styliform, mandible thin with two basal and two apical teeth. Chaetotaxy of antennae as in Figs 44, 45 and Tab. 5 c. Apical vesicle distinct, trilobed. S-chaetae of ant. IV of medium length and relatively thin ( Fig. 44 ). Chaetotaxy of head as in Tab. 5 a, b, and Fig. 43 . Tubercle Af on head longer than tubercles Oc. Chaeta D free. Elementary tubercles CD and BE present ( Fig. 40 ). Chaeta A shorter than B.

Thorax, abdomen, legs. Body s-chaetae thin and smooth, shorter than nearby macrochaetae ( Fig. 46 ). Chaetotaxy of thorax and abdomen as in Tab. 5 d and in Figs 40 , 45 . Tubercles Di on th. I differentiated and fused with De ( Fig. 43 ). Chaetae De3 on th. III and abd. I–III as Mcc. Chaetae De2 on th. II–III and De3 on th. III free. Chaetae De3 on abd. I–III free ( Fig. 46 ). The line of chaetae De1-chaeta s parallel to the dorsomedian line on abd. I–III. Chaetae Di 1 on abd. III and IV notably short, at least four times shorter than Di1 of abd. V ( Fig. 46 ). Tubercles Di on abd. V fused, with chaetae Di3 as mi. Furca rudimentary without microchaetae. Chaetae Vl on abd. V present. Male without modified chaetae (“male ventral organ”). Cryptopygy slightly developed. Chaetotaxy of legs as in Fig. 47 and Tab. 5 d. Tibiotarsi with chaetae B4 and B5 relatively long. Claw without inner tooth ( Fig. 47 ).

Remarks. See remarks of E. alticola and E. kremenitsai sp. nov.

Variability. We observed two specimens, including holotype, with additional chaeta O ( Fig. 43 ). Ecological note. The type material of Endonura diminutichaeta sp. nov. and Endonura aibgai sp. nov. was collected within alpine zone, under Rhododendron caucasicum ( Fig. 48 ). The species was also collected in lower elevations, in broadleaved forests.

b) Cephalic chaetotaxy–ventral side.

c) Chaetotaxy of antennae.

d) Postcephalic chaetotaxy.

Terga Legs

Di De Dl L Scx2 Cx Tr Fe T th. I 3 1 - 0 3 6 1 3 1 9 th. II 3 2+s 3+s+ms 3 2 7 6 12 19 th. III 3 3+s 3+s 3 2 8 6 1 1 1 8

Sterna

abd. I 2 3+s 2 3 VT: 4

abd. II 2 3+s 2 3 Ve: 5; chaeta Ve 1 present

abd. III 2 3+s 2 4 Vel: 3–5; Fu: 5–6 me, 0 mi

abd. IV 2 2+s 3 7 Vel: 4; Vec: 2; Vei: 2; Vl: 4

abd. V (3+3) 7+s Ag: 3; Vl: 1

abd. VI 7 Ve: 13-14; An: 2mi

Figures

FIGURE 40. Mountain coniferous forest (dominated by Caucasian fir Abies nordmanniana) at Lagonaki Plateau, type locality of Endonura dobrolyubovae sp. nov.

FIGURE 48. Alpine shrubs of Rhododendron caucasicum in Aibga Range, type locality of Endonura diminutichaeta sp. nov. and Endonura aibgai sp. nov.

FIGURES 41 – 47. Endonura diminutichaeta sp. nov.: 41, chaetotaxy of labium; 42, chaetotaxy of labrum; 43, dorsal chaetotaxy of head and th. I (holotype); 44, dorsal chaetotaxy of ant. III – IV; 45, ventral chaetotaxy of ant. III – IV; 46, dorsal chaetotaxy of abd. II – VI (holotype); 47, tibiotarsus and claw III, ventrolateral view.

Tables

TABLE 5. Chaetotaxy of Endonura diminutichaeta sp. nov.: a) Cephalic chaetotaxy – dorsal side.

Tubercle	Number of chaetae	Types of chaetae	Names of chaetae
Cl	4	Ml Mc	F G
Af	11–12	Ml Mc Mc or Mcc	B A C, O, D, E
Oc	3	Ml Mc Mcc	Ocm Ocp Oca
Di	2	Ml Mc or Mcc	Di1 Di2
De	2	Ml Mc or Mcc	De1 De2
Dl	4–5	Ml Mc Mcc	Dl5 Dl1, Dl4 Dl2, Dl6
(L+So)	10	Ml Mcc me	L1, L4, So1 L2, L3 So2–6