Contribution to the Willowsia species having body scales of the long basal rib type: four new species and a redescription of W. qui (Collembola: Entomobryidae)

Zhixiang Pan,Feng Zhang

doi:10.5852/ejt.2016.245

Zhixiang Pan, Feng Zhang

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.5852/ejt.2016.245

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Abstract

Four new species of the genus Willowsia Shoebotham, 1917 are described from China: W. fascia Zhang & Pan sp. nov., W. pseudoplatani Zhang & Pan sp. nov., W. pseudobuskii sp. nov., and W. similis sp. nov. Willowsia qui Zhang, Chen & Deharveng, 2011 is re-described based on types and fresh material. All five species possess the pointed body scales with basal ribs longer than distal ones. These scales are absent on antennae, legs, ventral tube and furca. Colour pattern and dorsal chaetotaxy are the main diagnostic characters for these species. DNA barcodes of four species are also provided, with genetic distances compared. A key to the Willowsia species having scales of the long basal rib type is given.

Highlights

Willowsia Shoebotham, 1917 is the largest scaled Entomobryinae genus, comprising 27 species worldwide (Bellinger et al 1996‒2016)
Willowsia has the most diversified scale morphology in Collembola, with four basic scale types recognized within the genus (Zhang et al 2011)
Some of the chaetae of the row along the posterior margin of each tergum were found to be transformed into scales and larger than other scales, differing from all scales along posterior margin in Lepidocyrtinae and Seirinae

Summary

Introduction

Willowsia Shoebotham, 1917 is the largest scaled Entomobryinae genus, comprising 27 species worldwide (Bellinger et al 1996‒2016). Its members have body scales mostly pointed, with rough sculpture of very short spinules to long ribs (Zhang et al 2011). Zhang et al (2011) divided the taxa of Willowsia into four species groups based on the scale sculpture: spinulate type, short rib type, long rib type, and uninterrupted ribbed type. Eleven species, including the generic type W. nigromaculata (Lubbock, 1873), possess scales of the long rib type. Four new species of this group from China are described. Willowsia qui Zhang, Chen & Deharveng, 2011 is re-described

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