Taxonomy of Collembola at the beginning of the new millenniumProceedings of the Xth international Colloquium on Apterygota, České Budějovice 2000: Apterygota at the Beginning of the Third Millennium

Abstract

Summary A historical review of the development of Collembola taxonomy showed that progress was slow up to the Second World War. General shape of the body, relative lengths of the head, thorax and abdominal segments, antennae, furca and its reduction, number of ommatidia, and pigmentation were standard components of the descriptions in the period up to the end of the 19 th century. New characters for species differentiation were increasingly used during the last decade before the Second World War. Bonet, Denis, Stach and Gisin were leading taxonomists in this second period. Stach completed his work with an extensive nine-volume monograph covering almost all groups of Collembola. Gisin introduced into the taxonomy many new characters and substantially changed the view among species of Hypogastruridae, Onychiuridae, Lepidocyrtini, Seirini and some Symphypleona. Gisin also formulated a general Synthetic Theory of Taxonomy based on his experience with collembolan classification. His Collembolenfauna Europas had an immense impact on further development of collembolan taxonomy. Many taxonomists then used complete chaetotaxy, sensilla apparatus, mouth-part structures, first larvae morphology, and other characters not only for collembolan species differentiation, but also for their higher classification and phyletic studies. Discovery of the ecomorphosis phenomenon was an important milestone in studies of ecology and taxonomy of Collembola. The main goals of collembolan taxonomy in the new millennium are enumerated.