Revisiting Szeptyckitheca Betsch & Weiner (Collembola, Symphypleona, Sminthuridae): new species, updated diagnoses, and a key

By

Bellini, Bruno
Oliveira, Mariana Fernandes De
Weiner, W. M. (Wanda M.)
Nunes, Rudy Camilo
Medeiros, Gleyce Da Silva

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2023

Original Publication

ZooKeys

Volume

1186

Pages

139--174

Subjects

chaetotaxy , Neotropical fauna , Sphyrotheca Börner , Sphyrothecinae , taxonomy

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Sofia, Bulgaria Pensoft Publishers

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1186.111837

 

Abstract

SzeptyckithecaBetsch & Weiner is a genus of Sphyrothecinae (Sminthuridae) similar toSphyrothecaBörner, with 13 nominal species. Most descriptions ofSzeptyckithecataxa lack valuable data in face of the current taxonomy of Symphypleona. In this study the previously described species of the genus were surveyed, aiming to provide updated diagnoses for them. Three species were also transferred toSzeptyckitheca:Sphyrotheca karlarumPalacios-Vargas, Vázquez & Cuéllar, 2003,S. peteriPalacios-Vargas, Vázquez & Cuéllar, 2003, andS. koreanaBetsch & Weiner, 2009, based on trochanteral and/or dental chaetotaxy. Two new Brazilian species of the genus are described and illustrated,S. andrzejiMedeiros, Bellini & Weiner,sp. nov., with a remarkable reduced ventral dental chaetotaxy not seen in other Neotropical species, andS. cyaneaOliveira, Medeiros & Bellini,sp. nov.with a distinctive large set of head vertex spines (18). Finally, an updated key to all the valid species of the genus is presented.