Abstract
The knowledge of the family Nicoletiidae in the Canary Islands was limited to two reports of Proatelurina pseudolepisma (Grassi, 1887), a species which belongs to the subfamily Atelurinae. This study provides new data on the occurrence of representatives of Nicoletiidae on these islands and descriptions of two endemic troglobic taxa: Canariletia holosterna gen. n. et sp. n., from the island of Gran Canaria, and Coletinia majorensis sp. n., found in Fuerteventura. The latter belongs to a group of species whose males have asymmetric antennae, so it is compared with those Coletinia of this group. Canariletia gen. n. shows a unique combination of characters inside Nicoletiidae, so its position within this family is discussed, considering the new genus as incertae sedis, but probably related to the Palaearctic and Afrotropical genera included in the subfamily Coletiniinae sensu Mendes, 1988.
Highlights
The family Nicoletiidae includes eyeless Zygentoma (= Thysanura s. str.) living in warm regions of the world, mainly in caves and endogean environments, or associated with ants or termites
The Zygentoma fauna of the Canary Islands is reported in several publications (Ridley, 1881; Navás, 1906; Silvestri, 1940; Wygodzinsky, 1952; Paclt, 1966; Mendes, 1982, 1993; Mendes et al, 1992, 1993; Molero et al, 1999), but only representatives of the family Lepismatidae are cited for this archipelago, with the exception of two records of the species Proatelurina pseudolepisma (Grassi, 1887) which was cited for Tenerife by Mendes (1993) as Proatelura pseudolepisma, and for La Palma by Mendes et al (1993)
Canariletia gen. n. has a unique combination of characters, not shared by any other genus of Nicoletiidae
Summary
The family Nicoletiidae includes eyeless Zygentoma (= Thysanura s. str.) living in warm regions of the world, mainly in caves and endogean environments, or associated with ants or termites. The Zygentoma fauna of the Canary Islands is reported in several publications (Ridley, 1881; Navás, 1906; Silvestri, 1940; Wygodzinsky, 1952; Paclt, 1966; Mendes, 1982, 1993; Mendes et al, 1992, 1993; Molero et al, 1999), but only representatives of the family Lepismatidae are cited for this archipelago, with the exception of two records of the species Proatelurina pseudolepisma (Grassi, 1887) which was cited for Tenerife by Mendes (1993) as Proatelura pseudolepisma, and for La Palma by Mendes et al (1993) This species is mainly myrmecophilous and is widespread around the Mediterranean region; probably its presence in the Canary Islands is due to an accidental introduction (as is the case for some myrmecophilous Lepismatidae such as the Mediterranean Neoasterolepisma wasmanni (Moniez, 1897) that has been reported for Peru (Wygodzinsky, 1967). This split has been accepted from 1993 to the present, as can be seen in the recent revision of Atelurinae by Mendes (2012)
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
