Entomobrya multifasciata (Tullberg, 1871) Brook, 1884

(Figs 2J, 5D, 27 A–D)

Degeeria multifasciata Tullberg, 1871

Entomobrya multifasciata, Brook 1884

Entomobrya nicoleti var. multifasciata, Börner 1901

Entomobrya aurantiaca Stach, 1922

Entomobrya multifasciata f. nigra Uchida, 1954

Type locality. Sweden

Material examined. SAMA: male, ACT, Constitution Ave, Russell, Canberra, - 35.296°S, 149.150°E, 578m asl, pitfall site 5, 1–5.iv.1991, J. Dorrow leg. ; NSW, Armidale, Chiswick farm, nr Armidale, - 32°S, 147°E, 980m asl, pasture, grassland, September 1973, KK leg.; 6 specimen male; NSW, Legume, - 28.40472°S, 152.30758°S, 583m asl open area in woodland, 20.ix.1974, JG leg.; 3 specimens female, NSW, Armidale, - 32°S, 147°E, 980m asl; female Juvenile , NSW, Arawana Headland, - 30.065°S, 153.200°E, 5m asl in sea weed on beach, 11.i.1974; female NSW Richmond, - 33.600°S, 150.750°E, 19 m asl, grass in garden, 31.xii.1975; 4 specimens , NSW, Armidale, - 32°S, 147°E, 980m asl; female , QLD,, nr Leslie Dam, - 28.21°S, 151.97°E, sweeping, 13.05.1974, PG leg.; female QLD, Brisbane, - 27.469°S, 153.025°E, 22m asl, in irrigated pasture 8.ix.1933; female SA, Waite Institute, Urrbrae, - 34.967°S, 138.636°E, 118 m asl, sub clover, July 1930, 24,viii.31, HW leg.; female SA, Cambrai, - 34.663°S, 139.321°E, 305m asl,, bracken, March, 1972, PG leg.; female SA, Andamooka, - 30.453°S, 137.164°E, 76m asl, 2.iv.72 ; SA, Belair, 1.2 ii.1976, PG leg.; Belair, - 35.007°S, 138.633°E, 300m asl; 2 female and male, juvenile, SA, Glen Osmond, - 34.960°S, 138.650°E, 300m asl, 1.ix.1974; female , SA, Mitcham, - 34.987°S, 138.625°E, 62m asl, garden soil, 21.xi.85 , R. V. Southcott leg.; 1male, 1female, SA, Hindmarsh Island, Lane’s property, - 35.533°S, 138.86°E, 25m asl, pitfalls, 4.x.2013, PG GH leg.; male SA, Hindmarsh Island, Anne’s property, young, 4.x.2013, PG GH leg.; - 35.516°S, 138.866°E, 25m asl, 5.x.2013, PG GH leg.; Juvenile . SA, Glen Osmond, stray in funnels in laboratory, - 34.960°S, 138.650°E, 300m asl, and - 35.533°S, 138.86°E, 25m asl; male SA, Hindmarsh Island, Hill’s property, - 35.516°S, 138.866°E, 25m asl; female TAS, New Town, Hobart, - 42.859°S, 147.305°E, 49m asl, 3.ix.32; juvenile, same location in Tasmania, 3.ix.32; juvenile, 1 male, 1female , WA, Mundijong, - 32.284°S, 115.973°E, 42m asl, 25.vi.98, PG leg.; 3 specimens - 34.9600°S, 138.6502°E, 300m asl PG leg.

Redescription based on Australian material. Size. Length up to 0.9 mm excluding antennae (n=7).

Colour. Pattern as in Fig 2J, some colour variations shown.

Head. Antennal length 847–1020 μm, 2–3 times the length of the head; Ant IV with a bilobed apical vesicle. Relative lengths of Ant I/II/III/IV=1.0/2.1/1.9/2.6. Four spinulate labral papillae or with some projections, four ciliated prelabral chaetae and 5,5,4 labral smooth chaetae. Lateral process of papilla E reaching at the papilla tip. Labial posterior row with MREL 1 L 2, R smaller than M; eight eyes, G and H similar in size to E and F.

Thorax and abdomen. Ratio of lengths of Abd IV/III=4 (n= 7). Trochanteral organ near of 22 chaetae. Unguis with 4 teeth on internal edge: first pair at 50% distance from base of unguis, and 2 unpaired teeth, first one at 75% from the base and the most distal one minute. Dorsal tooth approximately at half distance between the base of unguis and internal pair of teeth. Unguiculus spike–like, with a smooth or external edge on leg III. Furcal length 636 μm (n=7). Manubrial plate with 4 chaetae and 2 psp. Mucro with 2 teeth, subapical tooth in size similar to the apical one. Mucronal spine present.

Macrochaetotaxy. Simplified formula: 3,1,0,3,2/2,3/2,2/1,2,1/0,2,3,2,2. Head chaetotaxy with H1 area with An 2, An 3a1 and An 3, and as in Fig. 27A, H 2 with A 5, S’ 0 Mc no present; H4 with S 1, S 3 and S 4i Mc, H5 with Ps2 and Ps5. Thoracic chaetotaxy Area T1 on Th II with 2 Mc (m 1 and m 2i or m 2 present) (Fig. 27B). Area T2 on Th II with 3 Mc present (a 5, m 4 and m4i). Abdominal chaetotaxy Area A1 on Abd II with 2 Mc as in Fig. 85 and area A2 on Abd II with 2 Mc. Abd III with 1 Mc on areas A3 and A5, 2 Mc on area A4 as in Fig. 27C. Abd IV with 18 Mc (A 3 –A 6, B 4 –B 6, E 1 and C 2a) sometimes a variation on Area A7 on Abd IV 1–3 Mc. (Fig 27D). Sensillary chaetotaxy S =21/02293 and Ms =10/101, similar position to E. nigrocincta .

Remarks. The characteristic colour may fade and only remain on the anterior part of Th II and on a distal part of the body. The only difference from the European E. multifasciata (cf. Jordana, 2012) is the presence of 3 Mc on H 4 in the head, but some Australian specimens are asymmetric in this character.

This introduced species is the most widespread and abundant species of the genus in Australia. It has been misidentified as E. tenuicauda previously and with females of E. nigrocincta because of a similar colour. It is rarely found in native vegetation and nearly always in improved exotic grasses in pasture and on other open disturbed land.