Entomobrya imbre sp. nov.

(Figs 2B, 4K, 20 A–E)

Holotype. Female, QLD, Lamington N.P., bark spray, 7.vii.1996, R. L. Kitching & H. Mitchell leg., [SAMA 22649–01].

Paratypes. Female, one specimen on same slide, QLD, O’Reilly’s Resort, Lamington NP, - 28.2342°S, 153.1363°E, 1000m asl [SAMA 22649–02]; Site 90, 8 specimens on slide, 1 male, 7 females and 16 specimens in ethyl alcohol, canopy spray, 18.i.1995 [SAMA 22649–03] .

Additional material examined. Female ACT, Tidbinbilla NP, PG leg., Oct. 1991, - 35°27′47″S, 148°54′48″E, 700m asl; female, NSW, Yabbra State Forest; - 28.6403°S, 152.4955°E, 811m asl, 2.ix.1974, [SAMA] .

Description. Size. Length up to 1.35 mm excluding antennae, (n= 10).

Colour. Beige, with dark spot or band between antennae on anterior part of the head and a blue anterior and lateral stripe on Th II. Lateral narrow longitudinal and lateral band on Th III, and posterior transversal stripe distally on tergites Abd I and II (Fig. 2B, 4K,), one specimen totally blue). Antennae with lateral dark bands on segments I and II and totally coloured on segments III and IV. Legs with a blue spot distally on femur and a longitudinal stripe on tibiotarsus.

Head. Eight eyes, G and H smaller than E and F. Antennal length 591 μm (n=18), 2.14 times the length of the head (n=8). Ant IV with bilobed apical vesicle; relative length of Ant I/II/III/IV=1/2.1/2.0/2.7 (n=8). Sensory organ of Ant III with straight fusiform small sensilla (5 µm) in addition to the normal guard sensilla. Four labral with one or two small spines on each papilla (Fig. 20A). Labral Mc formula: 4/554, 4 prelabral ciliated chaetae, labral chaetae smooth. Labial chaetae MREL 1 L 2 all ciliated, only with one Mc M, and R smaller than M. Maxillary palp bifurcate with three sublobal chaetae. External process of papilla E reaching to the papilla tip.

Thorax and abdomen. Ratio of lengths of Abd IV/III=4.48 (n=10). Tibiotarsus without differentiated chaetae, with exception of the presence of the smooth terminal chaetae on legs 3, characteristic for the genus. Unguis length 35 μm internally and 40 μm externally. Unguis with 4 teeth, paired ones at 50 % from base and first unpaired tooth at 70 % from base, the terminal one minute; lateral teeth below the level of paired ones, dorsal tooth at same level. Unguiculus lanceolated with external serrated lamella. Tenent hair clavate, longer than internal unguis edge. Trochanteral organ with 15 chaetae. The length of manubrium and dens 234 + 331=567 μm (n=8). Manubrial plate with 4 chaetae and 2 pseudopores. Mucro bidentate with both teeth of similar size, and with mucronal basal spine reaching the tip of the subapical tooth. Mucro 10 μm, (n=8). The length smooth apical portion of dens 21 μm.

Macrochaetotaxy. Simplified Mc formula: 3,1,0,1,2/1,2/0,2/1,0,1/0,1,1(2),2,2. Head chaetotaxy (Fig. 20B) Mc An 2, An 3a1 and An 3 present and with A 5 Mc on A2 area. M 1 to M 4 present as Mc. In sutural row present S 0, S 2, S 3, S 4, S 5i and S 5. Ps 2 and Ps 5 present.

Thoracic chaetotaxy (Fig. 20C) Th II with Mc m 1 present on T1; on T2 area with Mc a 5 and m 4 present. Abdominal chaetotaxy (Fig. 20D), without Mc on A1 area at Abd II, m 3 and m 3e Mc present on A2 area of Abd II on Abd III a 1 Mc present on A3 area, and m 3 on A5 area. Abd IV (Fig. 20E) with Mc A 4 –A 6 and B 3 –B 6 (B 4 present or absent). Sensillary formula seen and normal for genus.

Remarks. No other described Entomobrya has the same colour and chaetotaxy of this new species. The specimens from Tidbinbilla NP each have the same chaetotaxy and “3 purple bands” is written on the label. The chaetotaxy of Abd II and III is similar to E. militum sp. nov. but the colour is different (Fig. 2I) and it is different also in the chaetotaxy of the Th II, with Mc m5 and Abd IV with 0,0,2,2,2 Mc on areas A6–A 10 in E. militum sp. nov.

Etymology. Imbre meaning spray referring to method of collecting holotype.