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New records and new species of springtails (Collembola: Entomobryidae, Paronellidae) from lava tubes of the Galápagos Islands (Ecuador)

Abstract:

The Collembola fauna of the Galápagos Islands is relatively unexplored with only thirty-five reported species. Entomobryoidea, the most diverse superfamily of Collembola, is underrepresented, with only five species reported from the Galápagos. Here we present the findings of the first survey of Collembola from Galápagos lava tube caves, providing a significant update to the total number of entomobryoid Collembola species reported from the Galápagos Islands. Collections made during a March 2014 expedition to study lava tubes of the islands yielded new records for seven species of Entomobryoidea, including four genera not previously reported from the Galápagos Islands: Coecobrya, Entomobrya, Heteromurus, and Salina. As a result, three new species (Entomobrya darwini Katz, Soto-Adames & Taylor, sp. n., Pseudosinella vulcana Katz, Soto-Adames & Taylor, sp. n., and Pseudosinella stewartpecki Katz, Soto-Adames & Taylor, sp. n.) are described and new diagnoses are provided for Heteromurus (Heteromurtrella) nitens Yosii, 1964, Lepidocyrtus nigrosetosus Folsom, 1927 and Pseudosinella intermixta (Folsom, 1924). Lepidocyrtus leleupi Jacquemart, 1976 is synonymized with L. nigrosetosus. An updated checklist of all species within the superfamily Entomobryoidea reported from the Galápagos Islands is provided.