Seira mantis, Zeppelini & Bellini, 2006

Zeppelini, Douglas & Bellini, Bruno Cavalcante, 2006, Two Seira Lubbock 1869 (Collembola, Arthropleona, Entomobryidae) new to science, with remarkable secondary sexual characters, Zootaxa 1185 (1), pp. 21-35 : 28-30

Seira mantis sp. n.

( Fig. 10–16 )

Etymology

Name suggested by A. Fjellberg, the discoverer of the species, in allusion to the male pro legs spines..

Type material

Holotype ♂, SPAIN, Canary Islands. Fuerteventura, La Oliva, 13­v­1974. Machado, A. ( MZUSP) . Paratypes: SPAIN, Fuerteventura, Barranco del Pesenescal , 7­iv­1988: 1♂, 1♀ . SPAIN, Canary Islands. Fuerteventura, 8 Km south Corralejo , 8­iv­1988: 2 ♀ .

Description

Total length of the holotype 1.65 mm, habitus entomobryid ( Fig. 10 ). Color, without observed pattern, in mounted animals some traces of pigment are visible in the eye patches and anterior margin of the head and mesothorax. Fourth antennal segment annulate ( Fig. 11 ), with two apical bulbs and no pin setae. Scales present over the entire first three antennal segments. Eye patches oval, with lenses G and H smaller than others ( Fig. 12 ). Pre labral setae ciliate, labral setae smooth. Labial triangle setae M1–2, r, E, L1–2 feathered, r seta not reduced in size ( Fig. 13 ). Trochanteral organ with 9 setae inserted in a straight line. Unguis with four inner teeth, one pair at the base of unguis plus an unpaired medial tooth and one apical tooth ( Fig. 14 ), the medial unpaired tooth bigger than the basal pair. Unguiculus acuminate with no serrations. Tenent hair capitate and ciliate. Femur of the first leg with a line of 9 strong spinelike setae in adult males ( Fig. 15 ). Tibiotarsus slender and somewhat curved ventrally, with 12 thick and short spines in the proximal part close to the articulation with the femur, and 5 spines in a row along the margin of the medial part of its length ( Fig. 16 ). The tibiotarsus and the femur also form a pincerlike structure with the spines, when folded against each other. Venter of manubrium with 6 subapical setae. Macrochaetae distribution as seen in figure 8b.

Remarks

The modified setae on the male pro legs, the presence of six ventral manubrial subapical setae, and the head and body macrochaetae differentiate this species in the genus. S. mantis sp. n. resembles S. domestica in the fields 1, 2 and 3 of the head chaetotaxy, the annulated fourth antennal segment and the medial (unpaired) inner tooth of unguis being larger than the basal pair (Tab.I). It is also similar to S. reinhardi in the fields 3 and 4a–d in the head chaetotaxy, and fields 1a–b and 2 in the mesothorax ( Fig. 8b ).

Habitat

The specimens were observed in abundance in a coastal white­sand area, marine shellsand, which is rather unusual on these volcanic islands with active, wind­blown sand dunes. The animals occurred in plant debris and in litter of Ononis sp. , a leguminous shrub, which had accumulated at foot of the dunes dragged by the winds (Fjellberg, com. pers.). The climate is humid subtropical, moist year round with long hot summer, Cfa according to Koeppen’s system.

Distribution Good’s biogeographic zone 6.

Figures

FIGURE 8. Macrochaetae distribution, a — S. raptora sp. n.; b — S. mantis sp. n. Schematic representation according to Christiansen and Bellinger (1998, 2000) modified from Jacquemart, 1974.

FIGURE 10. Seira mantis sp. n., habitus.

FIGURE 11–13. Seira mantis sp. n. 11, fourth antennal segment; 12, left eye patch; 13, Seira mantis sp. n., labial triangle, all labial setae M1­2, E, L1­2 feathered.

FIGURE 14. Seira mantis sp. n., tibio tarsal apex showing the tenent hairs, and foot complex; a — first foot complex; b — second foot complex; c — third foot complex.

FIGURE 15. Seira mantis sp. n., femur of the male first leg.

FIGURE 16. Seira mantis sp. n., tibia of the male first leg.