Dorsal chaetotaxy of neotropical species supports a basal position for the genus Lepidonella among scaled Paronellidae (Collembola, Entomobryoidea)
Keywords:
Bromacanthini, Brazil, Puerto Rico, Hispaniola, Caatinga Biome, edaphic fauna, new speciesAbstract
Lepidonella is a small genus of scaled Paronellidae comprising 12 species distributed mainly across the Ethiopian, Oriental and Australian biogeographic regions. Most species are poorly described by current standards and little is known about their dorsal chaetotaxy. Previous observations of the chaetotaxy of the second and third abdominal segments led to suggestions that Lepidonella may be more closely related to Lepidocyrtus than to other paronellids, thus rendering Paronellidae polyphyletic. Here we describe the complete dorsal chaetotaxy of the Neotropical species, Lepidonella incerta (Mari Mutt, nec Handschin), and Lepidonella zeppelinii sp. nov., to evaluate the position of Lepidonella among genera of scaled Paronellidae. The abundant, largely undifferentiated chaetotaxy of L. incerta and L. zeppelinii sp. nov. suggests a basal position for Lepidonella among scaled Paronellidae. Putative synapomorphies of the chaetotaxy of the head and metathorax supporting the monophyly of Lepidonella lead us to conclude that most similarities in chaetotaxy between New World Lepidonella and Lepidocyrtus represent symplesiomorphies. We also conclude that Paronellidae s. lat. (i.e., including Cyphoderinae) is derived from an Orchesellinae or Heteromurini-like species and is sister to Entomobryinae. In addition, we describe L. zeppelinii sp. nov. from Brazil, the first member of the genus described for South America, we propose a new name, L. marimuti n. name, for L. incerta (Mari Mutt), which is a junior homonym of L. incerta (Handschin), transfer to the genus Trogolaphysa two species previously assigned to Lepidonella, and provide an identification key to the species of Lepidonella of the world.
Resumen
Lepidonella es un género de la familia Paronellidae que incluye 12 especies distribuidas principalmente en las zonas biogeográficas de Africa, el sur y este asiático y Oceanía. Las descripciones de la mayoría de las especies son breves y excluyen detalles de la quetotaxia. Las pocas observaciones disponibles sobre la quetotaxia de Lepidonella han sugerido a varios autores que este género está más cercanamente relacionado a la tribu Lepidocyrtini de Entomobryidae que a otros miembros de la familia Paronellidae. En esta contribución describimos la quetotaxia dorsal de dos especies neotropicales, L. incerta (Mari Mutt, nec Handschin) y L. zeppelinii sp. nov., para evaluar la posición de Lepidonella en la familia Paronellidae. La abundante y poco diferenciada quetotaxia de las species americanas sugieren una posición basal para Lepidonella entre los paronélidos con escamas. Posibles sinapomorfias en la quetotaxia de la cabeza y el metatórax, que apoyan la monofilia de Lepidonella, nos llevan a concluir que la similitudes entre Lepidonella and Lepidocirtini son atribuibles a simplesiomorfias. Basándonos en esta conclusión y en evidencia obtenida de la bibliografía, proponemos la hipótesis de que la familia Paronellidae s. lat. (incluyendo Cyphoderinae) es hermana de la subfamilia Entomobryinae y se originó a partir de ancestros semejantes a miembros de la tribu Heteromurini (Entomobryidae). Además, describimos L. zeppelinii sp. nov.. de Brasil, el primer miembro Sudamericano de este género, proponemos un nombre nuevo, L. marimuti, nombre nuevo, para L. incerta (Mari Mutt), que es homónimo de L. incerta (Handschin), transferimos al género Trogolaphysa dos especies previamente incluidas en Lepidonella, y ofrecemos una clave dicotómica para identificar las especies de Lepidonella del mundo.
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