Collembola of the Cavalum and Landeiro Caves (Madeira, Portugal).

The cave fauna of the Macaronesian archipelagos is rich in endemic species. Unlike the Azores and the Canary Islands, the cave fauna of the Madeira archipelago is little known. The only two cave complexes studied, Machico and São Vicente, lack protection measures. São Vicente is seriously threatened because it is being exploited for touristic purposes, while the Machico complex, the only one in its natural state, is open to the public but without any control. The importance of the conservation of this cave fauna is indisputable. So far, of the 13 cavernicolous species recorded, two of them-genus Centromerus-are critically endangered. Apart from occasional sampling, no monitoring study has ever been carried out. The aim of this work has been to make a species checklist of the cave fauna of the Machico complex, the least studied so far. For this purpose, during 2001-2002, a monitoring study was carried out using traps and manual collections in the lava tubes of Landeiros and Cavalum (I, II, III). Fourteen species of springtails were recorded. Of these, four are new species, Neelus serratus Jordana & Baquero sp. nov., Coecobrya decemsetosa Jordana & Baquero sp. nov., Coecobrya octoseta Jordana & Baquero sp. nov., and Sinella duodecimoculata Jordana & Baquero sp. nov., and one is a new record for the archipelago, Lepidocyrtus curvicollis Bourlet, 1839.

The molecular conformation, but not disaggregation, of humic acid in water solution plays a crucial role in promoting plant development in the natural environment.

Many studies have shown the capacity of soil humic substances (HS) to improve plant growth in natural ecosystems. This effect involves the activation of different processes within the plant at different coordinated molecular, biochemical, and physiological levels. However, the first event triggered by plant root-HS interaction remains unclear. Some studies suggest the hypothesis that the interaction of HS with root exudates involves relevant modification of the molecular conformation of humic self-assembled aggregates, including disaggregation, which might be directly involved in the activation of root responses. To investigate this hypothesis, we have prepared two humic acids. A natural humic acid (HA) and a transformed humic acid obtained from the treatment of HA with fungal laccase (HA enz). We have tested the capacity of the two humic acids to affect plant growth (cucumber and Arabidopsis) and complex Cu. Laccase-treatment did not change the molecular size but increased hydrophobicity, molecular compactness and stability, and rigidity of HA enz. Laccase-treatment avoided the ability of HA to promote shoot- and root-growth in cucumber and Arabidopsis. However, it does not modify Cu complexation features. There is no molecular disaggregation upon the interaction of HA and HA enz with plant roots. The results indicate that the interaction with plant roots induced in both HA and laccase-treated HA (HA enz), changes in their structural features that showed higher compactness and rigidity. These events might result from the interaction of HA and HA enz with specific root exudates that can promote intermolecular crosslinking. In summary, the results indicate that the weakly bond stabilized aggregated conformation (supramolecular-like) of HA plays a crucial role in its ability to promote root and shoot growth. The results also indicate the presence of two main types of HS in the rhizosphere corresponding to those non-interacting with plant roots (forming aggregated molecular assemblies) and those produced after interacting with plant root exudates (forming stable macromolecules).

Three new species of Collembola from Sicily with first record of the genus Superodontella Stach, 1949 from Italy.

Three new species of soil Collembola from both agricultural lands (vineyards and olive orchards) and a natural habitat (beech forest) located in Sicily (Italy) are described: Superodontella eleonorae sp. nov., first record of this genus for Italy, Lepidocyrtus rapitalai sp. nov. and Pseudosinella francae sp. nov..

Collembola from Two Samplings in the MSS of the Sierra de Guadarrama National Park in Two Different Seasons, with Description of a New Species.

An intensive sampling in a colluvial mesovoid shallow substratum (MSS) of the Sierra de Guadarrama National Park, using 33 subterranean sampling devices (SSDs) is the origin of the Collembola studied in this paper. The data were obtained from the second extraction of the traps, in operation between October of 2015 and May of 2016. This paper presents the faunistic and diversity data along with the entire park (mostly at sampling points above 200 m a.s.l.) for this period, compares the data between the first extraction of the traps and the second one, and describes one species of the genus Pseudosinella that appears as new in the second campaign.

A synthesis of the current knowledge on the Australian Orchesellidae (Collembola, Entomobryoidea).

The Australian Orchesellidae includes only 11 nominal species in four genera: Australotomurus Stach, 1947, Alloscopus Brner, 1906, Heteromurus Wankel, 1860, and Falcomurus Mandal, 2018. Here we describe Dicranocentrus dolosus sp. nov. from Cocos and Keeling Islands, the first species of the genus to be recorded from Australia. The new species is similar to D.inermodentes (Uchida, 1944) and D.indicus Bonet, 1930, but differs from both by the combination of the ventral head, mesothoracic and dental chaetotaxy. We also revisit Australotomurus based on previous studies to better interpret the dorsal macrochaetotaxy of the genus, and provide a synthetic map of chaetae to guide future studies on scaleless Orchesellidae. Finally, we present updated diagnoses to all genera and species of Australian Orchesellidae, as well as an identification key to all species.

The family Onychiuridae (Collembola) from karst caves of the Basque biospeleologic district, with description of four new species.

The study of Onychiuridae from 42 caves of the north of the Iberian Peninsula and southwestern France has revealed the existence of 32 species inhabiting the caves of the Basque bio-speleological district, among which four new species are described: Deuteraphorura bizkaiensis sp. nov., Deuteraphorura bolivari sp. nov., Onychiurus arbailakensis sp. nov. and Protaphorura leitzaldeaensis sp. nov. Furthermore, three species, Deuteraphorura boneti (Gisin, 1953), Deuteraphorura akelaris (Jordana Beruete, 1983) and Spinonychiurus vandeli (Cassagnau, 1960), are redescribed based on type and new material to furnish the description of some characters, especially concerning the chaetotaxy, not considered in the original description. Keys to the recorded species are also reported.

New species and records of Entomobryidae and Orchesellidae (Collembola) from the East Caucasus (Russia).

We studied Entomobryidae and Orchesellidae springtails collected throughout Chechnya, Ingushetia, and Dagestan, Russia. Three new species of the genus Entomobrya (E. multisetis sp. nov., E. hirsutothorax sp. nov., and E. kremenitsai sp. nov.), and one of Entomobryoides (E. dagestanicus sp. nov.) are described. Taxonomic information for Entomobrya nicoleti (Lubbock, 1868), Willowsia potapovi Zhang et al., 2011, and Heteromurus nitidus (Templeton, 1836) in Templeton Westwood 1836 from the Caucasus are given.

New species and a new record of Entomobryinae (Collembola, Entomobryomorpha) from Amurskaya Region (the Far East of Russia).

The studied area (Far East of Russia) is very little investigated for the Entomobryidae family. A specific sampling in the area has made it possible to detect the presence of four and one new species of the genera Entomobrya and Willowsia respectively, which are herein described (E. amurica sp. nov., E. mediostriata sp. nov., E. umbroviolacea sp. nov., E. bicincta sp. nov. and W. babykinae sp. nov.) from the western part of the Far East of Russia. Homidia hjesanica is also recorded.

Neelipleona and Symphypleona (Collembola) from a Sampling in the Mesovoid Shallow Substratum of the Sierra de Guadarrama National Park (Madrid and Segovia, Spain): Taxonomy and Biogeography.

Megalothorax minimus (Neelidae) and Sphaeridia pumilis (Sminthurididae) had already been identified in surface sampling from Sierra de Guadarrama. In Europe, Sminthurinus gisini (Katiannidae) seems to be associated with environments at specific altitudes, and has little representation in this sampling. Pygmarrhopalites custodum Baquero and Jordana sp. nov. (Arrhopalitidae) coexists with two previously identified surface occurring species of the same family (P. elegans and Arrhopalites caecus). However, P. custodum is more abundant, indicating that it occupies an ecological niche tending to troglophile in the mesovoid shallow substratum (MSS). Moreover, it is also more abundant in the MSS of higher altitude corresponding to the bioclimatic zones cryo-oro-Mediterranean and oro-Mediterranean supra forest. Allacma cryptica Baquero and Jordana sp. nov. (Sminthuridae), is another species that had not been previously detected on the surface in the study area. A. cryptica is an addition to a genus which has eight described species. Gisinurus malatestai (Sminthuridae) appears well represented in the MSS, being a species present very occasionally in the Mediterranean area. Two species of the genera Sminthurides (Sminthurididae) and Fasciosminthurus (Bourletiellidae) have been found, but they could not have been identified to the species level. Finally, a few specimens of Dicyrtomina minuta (Dicyrtomidae), an abundant species on the surface, have been captured.

Anagrus avalae Soyka, 1956, a new synonym of A. bakkendorfi Soyka, 1946 (Hymenoptera: Mymaridae).

Soyka (1946) described the European fairyfly species Anagrus bakkendorfi Soyka (Hymenoptera: Mymaridae) from a single female collected on the same day, 7.x.1931, together with several non-type specimens incorrectly labeled as paratypes (Chiappini Triapitsyn 1999), on a window at its type locality, the former St. Ignatius Jesuit College in Valkenburg, Limburg, the Netherlands. Soyka (1956) did not mention type specimens of any of his species of Anagrus Haliday. He described Anagrus avalae Soyka (Soyka 1956) based apparently on a specimen collected on Mt. Avala, Belgrade, Serbia, former Yugoslavia, along with several other nominal species (some also from Valkenburg) that were later synonymized with A. avalae and A. bakkendorfi by Chiappini (1989) and Chiappini Triapitsyn (1999). The only, minor, morphological difference between the two nominal species is the length of the ovipositor in females relative to the length of the protibia, being at least 2.6× in A. bakkendorfi and at most 2.3× in A. avalae (Triapitsyn 2015). Specimens identifiable as both species were captured by the second author in 2000 by a Malaise trap in Iratibizkar, Irati Forest (Selva de Irati), Navarra, Spain. Chiappini Triapitsyn (1999) discussed both nominal species but despite recognizing their apparent conspecificity, no formal synonymy was proposed. Triapitsyn Berezovskiy (2004) and Triapitsyn (2015) also did not propose synonymy because at that time genetic evidence for conspecificity was lacking. However, Triapitsyn et al. (2019) obtained DNA and sequenced selected mitochondrial and nuclear ribosomal gene regions (COI and ITS2) from a specimen unambiguously identified by the first author as A. avalae that was collected in Sevenoaks, Kent County, England, United Kingdom. Because of this we decided to collect fresh specimens identifiable as A. bakkendorfi for molecular analysis and genetic comparison with those identifiable as A. avalae. Based on the previous record (Triapitsyn 2015), several females of A. bakkendorfi were successfully captured by the second author on 4.ix.2020 in Irati Forest, preserved in ethanol, and shipped to the first and third authors for morphological and molecular identification, respectively.

A new species of Agroeca Westring, 1861 from Navarra, Spain (Araneae: Liocranidae).

A new spider species belonging to the genus Agroeca Westring, 1861 is described. Agroeca istia sp. n. has been collected in southern Navarra, Spain. The description is based on 21 individuals of both sexes, present throughout the year on the ground of pine forests and surrounding low vegetation of the Natural Reserve Vedado de Eguaras.

A new species of Pseudosinella Schäffer, 1897 (Collembola, Entomobryidae) from Altamira Caves (Cantabria, Spain).

This paper describes Pseudosinella altamirensis sp. nov. from the Altamira Caves, municipal district of Santillana del Mar (Cantabria, Spain), and five other caves near the coast of Cantabria (northern Spain). Its taxonomic position is discussed and differences and similarities among morphologically and geographically close species are highlighted. The new species can be identified by its five eyes, the basal and small inner paired teeth on the claw, and the length of the uncrenulated part of the distal dens.

Arthropod biodiversity patterns point to the Mesovoid Shallow Substratum (MSS) as a climate refugium.

The determinants of biodiversity patterns in the subterranean habitat called Mesovoid Shallow Substratum (MSS) are not well-understood. In this study, thirty-three scree slopes at high altitudes were selected across the Sierra de Guadarrama National Park in central Spain to investigate the effect of ten environmental variables on the abundance and species diversity of the spider and springtail assemblages from the colluvial MSS. In each locality, a multiperforated PVC tube with a pitfall trap inside was buried up to 1 m deep, and generalized linear models and Mantel tests were used to analyze the effect of mainly climate- and habitat-related variables on the diversity patterns of both taxa. A total of 1143 individual spiders belonging to 54 species and 40 811 springtail individuals belonging to 62 species were collected. The analyses indicated that cold temperatures and the presence of forest cover on the surface significantly enhance richness and abundance in the two taxa. Environmental similarity also had a small positive effect on faunistic similarity. However, the effects of temperature and habitat detected on spider richness and abundance were stronger than on springtails, whereas the reverse was found regarding faunistic similarity. These results indicate that subterranean dwellers respond differently to the same environmental factors, which in turn, points to a different degree of affinity for the MSS. The MSS plays an important role in the survival of high mountain arthropod species, acting as a climate refuge, so the protection of this habitat should be prioritized.

Two new species of Plutomurus Yosii (Collembola, Tomoceridae) from the Caucasus.

Two new species of Plutomurus, P. pichkhaiai sp. nov. from Garakha and Letsurtsume caves and P. shurubumuensis sp. nov. from Shurubumu Cave (Chkhorotsku district, Western Georgia) are described, and illustrated. The new species are very similar to P. kelasuricus from the Tsebelda karst massif formation in Apkhazeti, Georgia, but differ in having two inner spine-like chaetae on the inner edge of the hind tibiotarsus (only one in P. kelasuricus) and in occupying different, isolated cave formations separated by a geographic distance of nearly a 100 km. A key to the species of Plutomurus with 6 prelabral chaetae is provided.

Entomobrya (Collembola, Entomobryidae) for the Canary Islands.

This paper examines a single genus of springtails (Collembola, Entomobryidae, Entomobrya) across the Canary Islands archipelago. A great sampling effort carried out more than 20 years ago, and over several years, allows us to present the distribution of the genus with the presence of 17 species, some better represented by their abundance than others. In addition to some species present in continental Europe or elsewhere in the world, or those already reported for the Canary Islands (e.g., E. multifasciata (Tullberg, 1871), E. nigrocincta Denis, 1923, E. palmensis Jordana Baquero, 2010, E. quinquelineata Börner, 1901 and E. unostrigata Stach, 1930), 12 new species have been detected and described, representing 71% of the total species found. All new species have been named in honour of important persons to the history of the Canary Islands, including some leaders. A combination of colouring patterns and other morphological characteristics that are easy to observe in most specimens (Katz et al. 2015a, b) have been used for the identification of the specimens, as is usual for the genus (Christiansen 1958), in addition to the dorsal macrochaetotaxy formula proposed by Jordana Baquero (2005). Without this formula, many specimens could not have been identified or distinguished from already described species because the colourations -in many cases-show ranges so broad as not to be diagnostic. In some species, the range of colouration can range from totally clear to totally dark, including several intermediate forms. Colour could be a good indicator of the species captured, taking into account that it fades over time with exposure to ethyl alcohol and could turn to different tones. Notwithstanding the above, a recent paper by Ding et al. (2018), show a certain correlation between the color pattern and the specific differentiation by means of DNA studies.

The survey of Seira Lubbock, 1870 (Collembola, Entomobryidae, Seirinae) from Iberian Peninsula and Canary Islands, including three new species.

Here we present a survey of Seira fauna from Iberian Peninsula and Canary Islands, including the description of three new species from Spain: Seira barrai sp. nov., Seira betica sp. nov. and Seira burgersi sp. nov., the latter with unprece-dented antennal morphology for Seira. Five species from Western Europe are redescribed and their dorsal detailed chaetotaxy is revealed for the first time: S. domestica (Nicolet), S. dinizi Gama, S. ferrarii Parona, S. mantis Zeppelini Bellini and S. pini Jordana Arbea, the first two from type locality, and the latter two based on analysis of the type material. A note on chaetal interpretation of the first abdominal segment for Seira is presented. An identification key to 31 species with known dorsal chaetotaxy from Western Palearctic region is also provided, including a discussion on dense macrochaetotaxy present in Palearctic and Oriental species and its reduction in species from others biogeographic regions.

Collembola of the Campanet cave (Mallorca, Balearic Islands), with descriptions of new species of Pseudosinella (Entomobryidae) and Oncopodura (Oncopoduridae).

This paper documents the collembolan fauna of the Campanet cave, in the province of Mallorca (Balearic Islands). Sampling was carried out using pitfall traps baited with beer and checked every 15 days. The cave fauna included the following species: Coecobrya tenebricosa, Disparrhopalites patrizi, Entomobrya pazaristei, Neelus murinus and Dicyrtomina ornata. In addition, two new species were found and are described here: Pseudosinella grauae sp. nov. and Oncopodura siquierae sp. nov. The former is characterised by an unpigmented body, eyes absent, dorsal chaetotaxy R0R1R2001/31/0101+2, with accessory chaeta 's' on Abd IV; all claws with three teeth; posterior chaetae on labial triangle as M1, M2, r, E, L1, L2, all ciliated except for r, a smooth microchaetae and smooth remaining anterior labial chaetae. O. siquierae sp. nov is typified by an unpigmented body; eyes absent; PAO as a single small vesicle; Ant IV with four distal leaf­shaped sensilla and a basal pointed cylindrical chaeta; dens with one proximal inner spine, one distal inner tooth and a large disto-external hook­like spine; and mucro with four teeth, the basal one distinctly pointed.

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).

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.

New diagnosis for species of Plutomurus Yosii (Collembola, Tomoceridae), with descriptions of two new species from Georgian caves.

Two new species of the genus Plutomurus, P. revazi sp. nov. from Prometheus and Satsurblia caves and P. eristoi sp. nov. from Satevzia Cave are described, illustrated and differentiated from other morphologically closely related species. A high variability in the number of teeth in the claw, unguiculus and mucro of P. revazi sp. nov. demonstrate that these characters are not useful for species diagnosis. However, dorsal chaetotaxy was shown to be stable character for this purpose. Analysis of DNA sequences for the COI and 28S genes is congruent with species-level groups delimited by chaetotaxy, and provide additional support for chaetotaxy as the most reliable morphological character system to distinguish species in Plutomurus. A key to species of the genus Plutomurus found in Georgia is provided, which for the first time includes characters of the macrochaetotaxy.

Entomobryoidea (Collembola) from Himachal Pradesh (India) in the Himalayas.

Collections made during March-April, 2010, October-November, 2010 and 2011 from different districts of Himachal Pradesh, India, by the Apterygota section of the Zoological Survey of India contained new species of Entomobryoidea. Localities sampled were Solan, Shimla, Kullu, Bilaspur, Kagra, Chamba and Sirmaur districts of Himachal Pradesh. Collections were mainly made using an aspirator from leaf litter, mosses, under stones, flowering garden plants and river embankments, wetlands and rotting logs. Sixteen species were found, belonging to genera: Entomobrya, Himalanura, Homidia, Sinella, Willowsia, Lepidocyrtus (Acrocyrtus), Lepidocyrtus (Cinctocyrtus), Seira, Drepanosira and Salina. Twelve of these have been described as new species.