Novas espécies de entomobryoidea, Womersley, 1934 (Collembola, Hexapoda) em duas áreas de caatinga do Rio Grande de Norte

Abstract

Springtails are land micro arthropods that present huge diversity among the members of edaphic fauna. Nowadays, there are more than 8 thousand species spread around the globe. Brazil is considered one of the countries that has one of the most ranged variety for the group, yet, the number of labelled species in this country is scarcely significant. Currently, the number of labelled species is slightly over 300 and the majority of them derives from the Southwest region. Concerning the Northeast region, specially in the biome Caatinga, the number of studies is scanty. Thus, this paper has as its main goal to describe new species of Entomobryoidea in two Caatinga areas of Rio Grande do Norte, specifically in the municipality of Riacho da Cruz and Portalegre, both located in the west of the city. The collections were made in two disctint moments, the first in November 2013 and the second in June 2014. The specimens were screened and identified in labs and described in details using specific literature. In this piece of work, four new species were described, three from the Entomobryidae family: Seira sp. nov. 1, Seira sp. nov. 2, e Lepidocyrtus sp. nov. and one from the Paronellidae family: Salina sp. nov., Seira sp. nov. 1 was compared to three other species of the same genera: Seira coroatensis, Seira mendoncea e Seira ritae, evidencing differences in the number of macrochaetae, number of spines in the metatrochanteral organ and in the labial triangle setea. Lepidocyrtus sp. nov.compared to the Lepidocyrtus sotoi species, shows differences in colour, labial triangle setea, types of Pre-labral setae, number of spines in the metatrochanteral organ, and change in the number of chaetae in the body segments. Salina sp nov. compared to Salina maculiflora and Salina colombiana evidencing differences in the number of spines of the metatrochanteral organ and in the number of theeth of the mucro and visible difference chaetotaxy in all segments. Seira sp nov. 2, compared to Seira diamantinae and Seira jiboienses does not present chatae in series (a) of mesothorx, it features five intraocular setae, being one macro. In the abdomen IV the chaetae Be2 e Be3 are present only in Seira sp. nov. 2. This paper shows the great diversity of existing collembolans in Caatinga areas, and apart from the knowledge of new species, may aid in the preservation of the environment where they are found.