Revisiting Szeptyckitheca Betsch & Weiner (Collembola, Symphypleona, Sminthuridae): new species, updated diagnoses, and a key Author Bellini, Bruno Cavalcante https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7881-9436 Department of Botany and Zoology, Biosciences Center, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), Highway BR- 101, Lagoa Nova, Campus Universitario, Natal 59072 - 970, RN, Brazil entobellini@gmail.com Author Oliveira, Mariana Fernandes De Department of Botany and Zoology, Biosciences Center, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), Highway BR- 101, Lagoa Nova, Campus Universitario, Natal 59072 - 970, RN, Brazil Author Weiner, Wanda Maria https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7257-3671 Institute of Systematics and Evolution of Animals, Polish Academy of Sciences, Slawkowska 17, Pl - 31 - 016 Krakow, Poland Author Nunes, Rudy Camilo https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3140-9146 Biodiversity and Biotechnology Research Group of North Center Piaui, Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology of Piaui, Pedro II 64255 - 000, Piaui, Brazil Author Medeiros, Gleyce Da Silva https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9839-2345 Department of Botany and Zoology, Biosciences Center, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), Highway BR- 101, Lagoa Nova, Campus Universitario, Natal 59072 - 970, RN, Brazil text ZooKeys 2023 2023-12-12 1186 139 174 http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1186.111837 journal article http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1186.111837 1313-2970-1186-139 DFE94B361F6A44908484FB75BAA2BA7E EA37ADDD962258858F033239BE3FD3AA Szeptyckitheca Betsch & Weiner, 2009 Genus diagnosis. Cuticle granulation rough. Specimens pigmented, eyepatches dark. Ant. IV with 8-12 subsegments. Eyes 8+8, head without vesicles or tubercles, eyepatches with 0-2 interocular chaetae, head vertex with a total of 4-18 strong erect large spines, cephalic chaeta A1 present or absent. Large abdomen without mesothoracic vesicles, dorsally with spine-like, blunt, or curved mac, adults with bothriotricha A - D , parafurcal area with 1+1 neosminthuroid chaetae. Small abdomen without bothriotrichum E , female subanal appendage short (not reaching the apex of the ventral anal valves), long (surpassing the ventral anal valves) or very long (surpassing the dorsal anal valve). Trochanteral spines present on legs I and III, sometimes on leg II as well, ungues usually with the internal tooth, pseudonychia and tunica. Manubrium with six or seven dorsal chaetae. Ventral (anterior) dental chaetotaxy with two to four transversal rows of chaetae, with the following resumed chaetotaxy formula from the apex to the base: 4-2,2-0,2-0 ... 1, dorsal dens with 13-24 chaetae. Mucro without chaeta, with an apical notch (data based on Denis 1948 ; Yosii 1959 , 1965 , 1966 ; Delamare-Deboutteville and Massoud 1964a , b ; Betsch 1965 ; Huether 1967 ; Lawrence 1968 ; Snider 1978 ; Bretfeld 2005 ; Betsch and Weiner 2009 ; Zeppelini et al. 2018 ). Type species. Szeptyckitheca kesongensis Betsch & Weiner, 2009. Remarks. The closest genus to Szeptyckitheca is Sphyrotheca , and many features in their diagnoses overlap ( Betsch and Weiner 2009 ). They share a subsegmented Ant. IV, Th. II without vesicles, the presence of bothriotrichum D in adult specimens, and the trochanteral spine in leg III ( Bretfeld 1999 ; Betsch and Weiner 2009 ). Here we considered as the main unequivocal diagnostic feature to separate both genera the presence of at least one trochanteral spine in leg I of Szeptyckitheca (absent in Sphyrotheca ) ( Betsch and Weiner 2009 ). Other features like the reduction of the ventral dens chaetotaxy and presence of A1 cephalic chaeta vary within Szeptyckitheca , as well as the presence of curved mac on dorsal head and large abdomen of Sphyrotheca , and cannot be used alone to separate the genera (Tables 1 , 2 ; see also the Discussion). Table 1. Main features of Szeptyckitheca species from the Americas.
Species / features S. andrzeji sp. nov. S. cyanea sp. nov. S. bellingeri S. kac S. karlarum S. mucroserrata S. peteri S. vanderdrifti
Trunk color pattern pinkish, with purple dorsal spots dark bluish dorsally dark brownish with lateral sides bluish with dark spots ♂ pale bluish with purple spots and stripes, ♀ yellowish with brown spots and stripes with lateral weak purple bands, posteriorly purple ♂ pale bluish with purple spots, ♀ yellowish with brown spots yellowish with indistinct areas of pigment, or brownish
Ant. IV subsegments 11 11 8 9 9-10 9-10 9-10 ~10
Ant. III chaetae 19 21** 18 14 19 ? 17? 19
Ant. II chaetae 13 15 14? 13 15 ? 12 14
Ant. II long chaetae 3 4 3 3 2 ? 2 2-3
Ant. I chaetae 6 6 5? 7 6 ? 4? 6
Interocular chaetae - 2 2 - 2 2 1 2
Frontal head A1 - + - - - - - -
Head vertex large spines (total) 14 18 14 16 16 16 16 16
Head vertex rough spines - - -? -? + + + -
Head frons sec. reduced chaetae + - + + + -? + +
Head interantennal bifid chaetae (♀) - - - - - - - -
Head clypeal f line mac - - - 4 - - - -
Tr. I n° of spines 2 2 2 1 1 ? 1 1
Tr. I spine(s) apex shape capitate capitate acuminate capitate blunt ? ? acuminate
Tr. II spine apex shape blunt capitate blunt knobbed - ? knobbed acuminate?
Tr. III spine apex shape blunt blunt blunt blunt blunt blunt blunt capitate
Tr. III regular chaetae 5 5 5 3 5 5 5 4
Tr. III oval organs 1 1 -? - 1 + 1 -?
Femur I spine +(1) +(1) +(1) +(1) +(1) ? +(1) ?
Ungues inner tooth + + + + + + + +
Ungual tunica + + + + + + + +
Ungual pseudonychia weak weak strong weak + - + strong
Unguiculus I internal tooth - + - + + - + +
Unguiculus III apical filament thin thin thick thin thin thin thin thin
Unguiculus III filament length compared to unguis III = < > = < = > <
Large abdomen capitate mac + + - + + - +* -
Female anal valve mps1 winged - - - - - - - -
Female subanal appendage shape short, spoon-like, apically serrated long, slightly curved at the apex, unilaterally serrated long, slightly curved at the apex, smooth or unilaterally serrated long, blunt, apically serrated long, spatulated, serrated at the tip long, spatulated or acuminated, serrated at the tip long, spatulated, serrated at the tip long, acuminate, apically or almost entirely serrated
Manubrial chaetae 7 7 6 ? ? 7 ? ?
Dens ventral chaetotaxy 3 ... 1 3,2 ... 1 2,2 ... 1 4,1...1 3,2 ... 1 3,2 ... 1§ 3,2 ... 1 2,2 ... 1
Dens dorsal chaetae 17 16 17 15 12 14§ 17 16
Prominent mucronal notch - + + + - - - -
Data based on the original descriptions. Legends: 'sec.' secondarily, 'Tr.' trochanter; '+' present; '-' absent; '=' subequal; '>' surpassing the tip of unguis; '<' not reaching the tip of unguis; '?' unknown, unclear data; '*' described as mesochaetae; '**' = including the peculiar small sensilla on cavities outside the apical organ; '§' = the proximal chaeta portrayed in the ventral dens ( Snider 1978 : 235, fig. 207) is lateral and large, and does not correspond to the typical reduced proximal ventral chaeta seen in other species of the genus. Due to position and size, we believe this chaeta was represented in the dorsal dens ( Snider 1978 : 235, fig. 208). Table 2. Main features of Szeptyckitheca species from the Old World.
Species / features S. boneti S. coerulea S. formosana S. implicata S. kesongensis S. koreana S. machadoi S. nepalica S. santiagoi S. spinimucronata
Trunk color pattern dorsally black or purplish-red bluish with white spots dorsally yellowish with lateral sides purplish dark yellowish with purple stripes and spots pale lateral large abdomen violet with transversal stripes and spots of dark pigment pale, with diffused pigment and violet patches variable, usually laterally dark and dorsally pale whitish, with diffused fields of purple pigment
Ant. IV subsegments 10-12 9-10 9-10 11 10 9 10 10 10 ~10
Ant. III chaetae 24* ? ? ? 23 23 21* ? 15? ?
Ant. II chaetae ? 15-16 ? >8 16 16 15* ? 15? ?
Ant. II long chaetae ? -? ? - - - 4 -? 1 ?
Ant. I chaetae ? 7 4? 5 7 7 5? ? 5 ?
Interocular chaetae 2 2 -? 1 2 2 2? -? 1 -?
Frontal head A1 + + + + - + + + - +
Head vertex large spines (total) 10 6 15 16 16 4**** 16 11 14 or 16 16
Head vertex rough spines -? - + + +/- +/- -? -? +? +
Head frons sec. reduced chaetae + - -? - - + - -? +? -
Head interantennal bifid chaetae (♀) - - - - + - - - - -
Head clypeal f line mac - - - - - - - - - -
Tr. I n° of spines ? 1 ? 1 1 1 1 1 1 ?
Tr. I spine apex shape ? blunt ? blunt capitate capitate blunt blunt blunt ?
Tr. II spine apex shape ? blunt ? blunt capitate capitate - blunt blunt ?
Tr. III spine apex shape ? blunt ? blunt capitate capitate blunt blunt blunt blunt
Tr. III regular chaetae ? 5 ? 5 5 4 4 ? 5 5
Tr. III oval organs ? -? ? -? 2 2 - ? ? -?
Femur I spine ? +(1) ? ? +(1) +(1) +(1) ? +(2) ?
Ungues inner tooth + + + + + + + + - +
Ungual tunica -** + + + + + + + + +
Ungual pseudonychia weak strong - weak strong strong strong strong weak -
Unguiculus I internal tooth + - + + - + + +/- +/- -
Unguiculus III apical filament thin thin thin thin thin thin thin thin? thin thin
Unguiculus III filament compared to unguis III < < < < < = > < = <
Large abdomen capitate mac ? + - + - - ? - - -
Female anal valve mps1 winged - - - - + - - - - -
Female subanal appendage shape very long, acuminate, serrated at the middle long, acuminate, unilaterally serrated long, blunt, apically serrated long, acuminate, apically serrated long, acuminate, apically serrated long, blunt, apically unilaterally serrated long, spatulated, apically serrated long, acuminate, apically serrated long, with a bidentate apex, smooth or apically serrated long, acuminate, apically serrated
Manubrial chaetae ? 7 7 7 ? ? ? 6 ? 7
Dens ventral chaetotaxy 3,2,2 ... 1 or 3,2 ... 1 4,2 ... 1 3,1 ... 1 2,2 ... 1 3,2 ... 1 3 ... 1 or 2 ... 1 2,2 ... 1 3,2....1 2,2 ... 1*** 3,2 ... 1
Dens dorsal chaetae 17-18 16 15 19 20 17 24 13 13*** 17
Prominent mucronal notch + + + + + + + + + +
Data based on the original descriptions, with exception of S. santiagoi , which was based on Yosii (1959) and Lawrence (1968) . Legends: 'sec.' secondarily, 'Tr.' trochanter; '+' present; '-' absent; '~' about; '=' subequal; '>' surpassing the tip of unguis; '<' not reaching the tip of unguis; '?' unknown, unclear data; '*' = including the peculiar small sensilla on cavities outside the apical organ; '**' = ungues I and II without tunica, unguis III possibly with a small distal rudiment; '***' = we considered dental chaetae as described by Yosii (1959) , since Lawrence's (1968) redescription is imprecise regarding this feature and may be mistaken; '****' = the large head vertex spines of S. koreana , comb. nov. are mixed with large curved rough mac. In our survey and the descriptions of the new species we observed some species hold reduced spines on the frontal head. We considered such reduction as secondary, since other taxa of the genus present all frontal head chaetae well developed, a feature also seen in other genera and families of Symphypleona ( Betsch 1980 ; Bretfeld 1999 ). Species diagnoses