Tullbergiidae, Bagnall RS, 1935

Antipova, M. D. & Babenko, A. B., 2022, An annotated checklist of the springtails (Hexapoda: Collembola) recorded from the foothill and mountain parts of the Republic of North Ossetia-Alania, North Caucasus, Russia, Russian Entomological Journal 31 (4), pp. 331-345 : 333-334

Family Tullbergiidae

Mesaphorura critica Ellis, 1976 . A polyzonal Palaearctic species ranging in Europe from the Mediterranean to northern Norway [ Zimdars and Dunger, 1994], also occurring in the southwestern part of Greenland [ Fjellberg, 2015] and in Central Siberia [ Babenko, 2007]. In the nature reserve, it was recorded from mature pine forests with well-developed litter [ Kuznetsova et al., 2019]. At Tsey, we have found this species in a mixed forest at an altitude of 2193 m a.s.l., as well as in a maple and a beech forest (1984 m and 1865 m a.s.l., respectively).

M. hylophila Rusek, 1982 . The known distribution area covers central and northern Europe , as well as southwestern Greenland. In the nature reserve, it was found in low abundance in pine forests [ Kuznetsova et al., 2019]. In our material, the species has been found dominating among the other congeners in a developed birch forest at an altitude of 2244 m a.s.l., and one specimen has been recorded at a grassy successional stage (2320 m a.s.l.).

M. italica (Rusek, 1971) . This is a mainly European and highly polyzonal species, also recorded from Greenland and the Antilles. According to Kuznetsova et al. [2019] and our collections from the nature reserve, the species is confined to varied mature forests.

** M. macrochaeta Rusek, 1976 . A common and widespread Holarctic species. It was recorded among the first colonizers in brown coal dumps in Germany [ Dunger et al., 2002]. In the Caucasus, reliable records were restricted to the vicinity of Sochi [ Scherbina, 2020]. In the area previously occupied by the Tsey glacier, M. macrochaeta appears earlier than other congeners and has been found throughout the foreland (2070–2320 m a.s.l.). Apparently, it is more tolerant to dry habitats than other representatives of the genus.

** M. pongei Rusek, 1982 . The species was described from a pine forest in central France. Probably, it is Palaearctic in distribution [ Fjellberg, 1998]. It also occurs in the mountainous landscapes of Spain [ Simón Benito and Martinez, 1988]. Over the territory of the nature reserve, we have found

1 The species marked by * are new to the Republic of North Ossetia – Alania, while those denoted by ** are new to the entire Caucasus. only a few specimens in a maple and in pine forests (1984– 2070 m a.s.l.). This is the first record of M. pongei from North Ossetia, and the Caucasus as a whole .

** M. sylvatica Rusek, 1971 . The species is probably Palaearctic in distribution [ Zimdars and Dunger, 1994] and populates a wide range of habitats in Northern Europe [ Fjellberg, 1998]. In the nature reserve, a few specimens of M. sylvatica have been found in pine and mixed forests. Until now, it has not been recorded from the Caucasus.

M. tenuisensillata Rusek, 1974 . A trans-Palaearctic species common both in forest [ Kuznetsova et al., 2019; our data] and grassy stations of the nature reserve. Along with M. macrochaeta , it has been recorded among the species inhabiting the earlier stages of overgrowth.

In addition, Mesaphorura krausbaueri Börner, 1901 was recorded from the North Ossetian Nature Reserve (Tsey Gorge) [ Kuchiev, 2006]. Because this species is absent from our material coming from the same region, its occurrence requires confirmation. In reality, this record may belong to any of the above species of the genus.

Metaphorura affinis (Börner, 1902) . This Palaearctic species prefers drained meadow soils [ Zimdars and Dunger, 1994]. In the territory of North Ossetia, it was recorded from the upper soil layer of a perennial pasture located east of Alagir [ Kremenitsa, 2002].

** M. denisi Simón Benito, 1985 . Originally, this species was described from Crete. The known distribution covers the Mediterranean, Ukraine, Turkey, Bulgaria, Slovakia, France and Spain [ Pomorski and Skarżyński, 1997]. We record the species from North Ossetia for the first time. We have found it at the shrub successional stage (2295 m a.s.l.) and in a developed birch forest (2244 m a.s.l.).