Abstract
An unexpected new subgenus and species of Campodeidae (Diplura), Plusiocampa (Pentachaetocampa) inopinata subgen. et sp. nov., a troglobitic species found in Schallsinger Höhle in an isolated karstic region in southwestern Germany is described. The new taxon shows two unique characters for the genus Plusiocampa: five dorsal femoral macrosetae and the presence of g1-glandular setae in females. Two other Plusiocampa species have been studied and taxonomic remarks made for them; both are also cave dwelling species from Germany: Plusiocampa dobati Condé in Dobat, 1975 studied from eight caves in the Swabian Alb, and one unnamed species of Plusiocampa (Plusiocampa) from four caves in the Franconian Alb. The biogeographical and taxonomic affinities among Plusiocampa species of Central Europe are discussed. The distribution of Plusiocampa species in Central Europe runs alongside the frontier of the Pleistocene glaciations, with non-troglomorphic Plusiocampa species adjacent to the glacial limits and troglomorphic Plusiocampa species below. Worthy of note is the presence only in the northeast of the Central Alps of two relict Plusiocampinae species, the already known Hystrichocampa pelletieri Condé, 1948 and the new species P. (P.) inopinata subgen. et sp. nov.
Highlights
Cave-dwelling campodeid diplurans have been known from Central Europe since the end of the nineteenth century (Joseph 1882)
Taxonomic remarks are added on the species P. dobati, known from several northern caves in Swabian Alb, and on the uncertain Plusiocampa (Plusiocampa) sp., which has been located in caves of the Franconian Alb, Bavaria
Current knowledge of subterranean Campodeidae fauna in Central Europe The distribution of the subterranean campodeids around the European Mediterranean region has its northern limits from Belgium to the Crimea Peninsula, going along the southern limit of the Pleistocene glaciations
Summary
Cave-dwelling campodeid diplurans have been known from Central Europe since the end of the nineteenth century (Joseph 1882). About fifteen troglobitic species are known of This subterranean fauna is well spread throughout the Dinaric Alps (Condé & Bareth 1996) and on both sides of the Alps, in Austria (Condé 1954) and Switzerland (Condé 1962), including the northern karstic Italian regions (Bareth & Condé 1984), and extending towards the northeast along the Inner Western Carpathian Mountains, in the north of Hungary (Stach 1929), and within caves in the south of Slovakia Some accurate biospeleological studies have been made including sampling of cave-dwelling animals in North Rhine-Westphalia, Hesse, Rhenish-Palatinate, Saarland, Baden-Württemberg (mainly Swabian Alb), and Bavaria (mainly Franconian Alb), where more than 10.000 caves and artificial caverns are known, resulting in the discovery in a single cave (Schallsinger Höhle, Baden-Württemberg) of a new and remarkable subgenus (Figs 1–2) of the genus Plusiocampa, already well known from subterranean habitats in the Euro Mediterranean region. Taxonomic remarks are added on the species P. dobati, known from several northern caves in Swabian Alb, and on the uncertain Plusiocampa (Plusiocampa) sp., which has been located in caves of the Franconian Alb, Bavaria
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