Distinctive Collembola communities in the Mesovoid Shallow Substratum: First data for the Sierra de Guadarrama National Park (Central Spain) and a description of two new species of Orchesella (Entomobryidae).

Feng ZHANG,Enrique Baquero,Enrique Ledesma,Rafael Jordana,José D. Gilgado,Vicente M. Ortuño

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0189205

Feng ZHANG, Enrique Baquero + Show 4 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0189205

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Journal: PloS one	Publication Date: Dec 13, 2017
Citations: 15	License type: CC BY 4.0

Affiliation: University of Navarra, University of Alcalá

Abstract

Two new species of the genus Orchesella Templeton, 1836 have been identified following intensive sampling in the Colluvial Milieu Souterrain Superficiel (Mesovoid Shallow Substratum, or MSS) of the Sierra de Guadarrama using Subterranean Sampling Devices (SSD). The data were obtained from the first extraction of the traps between May and October of 2015. During a study of the Collembola taxon, 32 different genera (61 species) were identified. The highest representative genus presence in almost all traps was Orchesella, with two new species. One of the two species described had been misidentified until this study was carried out, indicating that their preferential habitat had not been sampled; the second species had never been identified. The community of the Orchesella species in the Colluvial MSS was investigated, leading to the conclusion that this environment has its own assemblage of characteristic species. The opportunity to study specimens that belong to five species of the genus Orchesella, including three previously recollected, has allowed for obtaining reliable information regarding their macrochaetotaxy. A part of this chaetotaxy is proposed as a useful diagnostic tool for the species of the genus. In conclusion, it can be affirmed that this study has demonstrated that the Colluvial Mesovoid Shallow Substratum (Colluvial MSS) has its own fauna, and it supports the hypothesis that it constitutes a new biotope, at least for Collembola.

Highlights

IntroductionThe study of subterranean habitats has generally focused on caves, pits and even mines (of anthropogenic origin) [1, 2] shallow subterranean environments [3] and
For the identification of the Collembola species examined in the present study, a total of 42,240 specimens (20% belonging to the genus Orchesella) were studied individually
This work was conducted at the Department of Environmental Biology, University of Navarra, after the triage was completed at the University of Alcalafor over 61,038 specimens

Summary

Introduction

The study of subterranean habitats has generally focused on caves, pits and even mines (of anthropogenic origin) [1, 2] shallow subterranean environments [3] and . Comprehensive lists of the Collembola species in the MSS are scarce, some studies have provided extensive lists of Collembola species [11]; few have recorded the presence of the Orchesella species in this environment This genus was recorded in the MSS in Eastern Europe as Orchesella carpatica Ionesco, 1915 and O. pontica Ionesco, 1915 [22]; O. carpatica, O. pontica and O. alticola (Uzel, 1891) [16]; and O. pontica [17]. The Holarctic genus of collembola Orchesella Templeton, 1835 (Entomobryidae) includes 61 species that are among the largest collembolans [26] These species inhabit the forest litter and are well-known for their key ecological role of recycling decaying organic matter [27]. The use of these characteristics in combination with the methodologies used by other authors [32, 33] have proven to be useful in the identification of species that belong to the family of Entomobryidae

Material and methods

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Results

Discussion