Heteraphorura iranica

Kaprus’, Igor, Shayanmehr, Masoumeh, Kahrarian, Morteza & Lafooraki, Elham Yoosefi, 2017, Three new species of Onychiuridae Lubbock, 1871 (Collembola, Poduromorpha) from Iran, Zootaxa 4291 (2), pp. 335-346 : 336-337

Heteraphorura iranica Kaprus’, Shayanmehr & Kahrarian sp. nov.

( Figs 1–8 )

Type material. Holotype: male (mounted on slide), Iran, Kermanshah county, Chahar zebar-e-oliya area, oak trees (Q. infectoria), 1592 m alt., soil, 12.XII.2013, leg. Morteza Kahrarian . Paratypes: 5 males and 7 females (mounted on slide), the same data as holotype.

Other material. 4 males and 9 females, Iran, Osmanev and area, Cheshmehsorkh village , Kermanshah County, oak trees (Q. infectoria), soil and leaf litter, 5.I.2014, leg. Morteza Kahrarian ; 1 male and 3 females, Iran, Paveh County, Shabankareh village , oak trees (Q. infectoria), soil and leaf litter, 15. XI.2013, leg. Morteza Kahrarian . Iran, Mazandarn, Nowshahr, Kajour region , Lashkenar village , oak trees (Q.infectoria), soil, 23.X.2012, leg. Elham Yoosefi Lafooraki . Iran, Nowshahr, Sisangan National Park , oak trees (Q.infectoria), soil and leaf litter, 24.XII.2012, leg. ElhamYoosefi Lafooraki . Iran, Babolsar county, Bahnamir region , oak trees (Q.infectoria), soil and leaf litter, 24.X.2012, leg. Elham Yoosefi Lafooraki . Iran, Golestan, Gorgan, Alangdarreh forest, Horn beam, soil, 23.X.2014; Kordkuy, Imam Reza forest , soil, 7.XII.2014; Gorgan, Alangdarreh forest , soil, 11.VII. 2015, leg, Farnaz-Sadat Hosseini . Iran, Mazandaran, Sari county, Semeskandeh forest , hornbeam and oak trees, soil and litter, 13.XII.2012, leg. Mahmood Mehrafrooz Mayvan and 14.XII.2015, 2.I.2016, leg. Mahdieh Ghasemi-Charati .

Etymology. Named after Iran.

Diagnosis. PAO with 17–25 granulated vesicles. Pso formula dorsally 20/011/11023. Psx formula ventrally: 1/ 000/ 110101m. Th. terga II–III with 3+3 axial chaetae. Abd. tergum VI with three median chaetae a0, m0 and p0. Claw always with a pair of lateral teeth and inner tooth. Empodial appendage without basal lamella, its length equal to 0.60–0.65 of inner edge of claw. MVO present on Abd. sternum IV, consists of 25–40 thick chaetae, located closely together in integumentary pocket.

Description. Color white. Body length without antennae: males 1.2–1.7 mm (holotype – 1.2 mm), females 1.5–2.3 mm. Shape of body ( Fig. 1 ) and granulation typical of genus. Usually with 11–13 granules around each pso. Antennae distinctly shorter than head (ratio 0.6–0.7). AIIIO organ consists of 5 conical papillae; 2 sensory rods; 2 spherical, finely granulated sensory clubs, and 5 guard setae ( Fig. 3 ). On Ant. III the ms located laterally, slightly below AIIIO sense organ ( Fig. 3 ). Ant. IV with subapical organite and ms located on level of second proximal row of setae ( Fig. 3 ). Ant. II with 17–18 chaetae. Ant. I with 9–10 chaetae. Antennal base well marked.

PAO in long cuticular groove with 2 border chaetae (pbc), consisting of 17–25 granulated vesicles ( Fig. 2 ). Maxillary outer lobe with simple palp, basal chaeta and with two sublobal hairs. Labial palp of AC type. Labium with 7 proximal, 4 basomedian and 6 basolateral chaetae. Papillae A–E with 1, 4, 0, 3, 3 guard chaetae respectively. Head ventrally with 4+4 postlabial chaetae along ventral groove.

Pso formula dorsally: 20/011/11023, no pso ventrally. Localization of dorsal pso is presented in Fig. 1 . Psx formula ventrally: 1/000/ 110101m. Subcoxae 1 of I–III legs with one psx each in posterior position ( Fig. 1 ). Femur of all legs with one psx on internal side.

Dorsal chaetotaxy usually symmetrical, ordinary chaetae well differentiated into macro-, meso- and microchaetae ( Figs 1, 8 ). Dorsal cephalic chaeta d0 present. Th. tergum I with 7–8 + 7–8 chaetae. Th. terga II–III with lateral ms each and 3+3 axial chaetae. Abd. terga I–III with 3+3 axial chaetae (m1 present). Sometimes chaetae m1 absent on Abd. tergum III. Abd. tergum IV with one (p0) or two (a0, p0) median chaetae. Abd. tergum V with one (m0) or two (a0, m0) median chaetae. Abd. tergum VI with three median chaetae a0, m0 and p0 ( Fig. 1 ). Subcoxae1 of I–III legs usually with 4, 6, 6 chaetae respectively.

No setae between legs on pro-, meso- and metathorax.VT usually with 8–9 + 8–9 lateral chaetae, without chaetae at base. Chaetotaxy of Abd. sterna III–VI as in Fig. 8 . Trace of reduced furca in shape of small patch of fine granulation with four small dental chaetae posteriorly, arranged in more or less clear row (ma row chaetae in Fig. 8 ); one or two manubrial rows of chaetae (mp row or mp and mm rows) present posterior to dental chaetae ( Figs 7, 8 ). Tibiotarsi of legs I, II and III with four rows of chaetae (distal whorl (A+T)+(B+M)+C): 11+8+3, 11+8+2–3, 11+7+1–2 chaetae respectively.

Genital plate with about 17–18 chaetae in adult females and 38–46 chaetae in males. MVO situated near anterior margin of Abd. sternum IV, above trace of reduced furca, consisting of 25 (in subadults) to 40 (in adults) thick, weakly curved chaetae, located closely together in elliptical or triangular integumentary pocket ( Figs 6, 7 ). Spiniform chaetae mpe on Abd. sternum IV in adult males present ( Figs 7, 8 ).

Anal valves with numerous acuminate chaetae: each lateral valve with a0, 2a1; unpaired anal valve with chaetae a0, 2a1, 2a2, b0, 2b1, 2b2, 2b3, c0, 2c1, 2c2, five–seven of which (b0, b1, b2 and rarely b3) are thickened and curved upwards ( Fig. 5 ).

AS set closely together, rather strong, weakly curved, pointed, with distinct basal papillae, as long as claw. Claw always with a pair of lateral teeth and inner tooth ( Fig. 4 ). Empodial appendage without basal lamella, its length equal to 0.60–0.65 of inner edge of claw ( Fig. 4 ).

Remarks. According to Arbea (2014) the new species belongs to the oriental species-group of the genus characterized by granulated vesicles in PAO. H. iranica sp. nov. is the most similar to H. japonica ( Yosii, 1967) from Japan (see the key below). Both species have similar pso formula dorsally, the same number of axial chaetae on Abd. terga I–II, and structure of claw and PAO. The new species can be easily distinguished from H. japonica by the number of median chaetae on Abd. tergum VI (the former has three whereas the latter only two), and structure of MVO on Abd. sternum IV (see the key).

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 8. Heteraphorura iranica sp. nov.: 1, habitus and dorsal chaetotaxy; 2, PAO and anterior cephalic pso; 3, AIIIO; 4, tibiotarsal chaetotaxy and claw of leg III; 5, chaetotaxy of anal valves; 6, MVO and furcal area (subadult male); 7, MVO and furcal area (adult male); 8, chaetotaxy of Abd. sterna III – VI.