http://www.collembola.org/key/neelus.htm - Last updated on 2024.10.31 by Frans Janssens
Checklist of the Collembola: Key to the species of Neelus

This key is still under construction. Note that missing figures will be provided as soon as possible. Currently, the key is in the feasibility study phase to find out how to integrate in the checklist in a modular way a key that has been generated with DELTA.

L'Ubomír Kovác, Institute of Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Sciences, University of P. J. Safárik, 040 01 Kosice, Slovak Republic
Vladimir Papác, State Nature Conservancy, Slovak Caves Administration, 979 01 Rimavská Sobota, Slovak Republic
Frans Janssens, Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, B-2020, Belgium

Rationale

The rationale for taxa used and not used as well as subtaxonomic classification for some taxa is to be provided.

Key

Note that no distinction between subtaxa and taxa is made in the key.

    
1(0). Dorsal side of manubrium with 3 + 3 setae 1..................... 2
      Dorsal side of manubrium with 4 + 4 setae 1..................... 4
 

2(1). Labral seta R1 branched or serrate; labrum with 5 medial and 4
        anterior setae.............................................. 3
      Labral seta R1 medially forked; labrum with 3 medial and 6
        anterior setae................................. labralisetosus
 

3(2). Labral seta R1 basally branched; anterior labral setae R2
        smooth; ventral side of head with 3 + 3 smooth postmedian
        setae................................................. murinus 2
      Labral seta R1 basally not branched; anterior labral setae R2
        roughly serrate; ventral side of head with 3 + 3 postmedian
        setae of which 1 + 1 posterior ones ciliated....... fimbriatus
 

4(1). Basal segment of antennae with 2 or 3 setae; labral seta R1
        serrated and branched (fig.1)............................... 5
      Basal segment of antennae with 2 setae; labral seta R1 smooth
        and apically branched............................... desantisi

Fig.1.
   
5(4). Hind abdomen dorsally with numerous spine-like microsetae
        (fig.2); lateral setae on manubrium not longer than half of
        the axial setae; sensory field on thorax of normal size
        (fig.3a).............................................. koseli
      Hind abdomen dorsally without spine-like microsetae; lateral
        setae on manubrium longer than half of the axial setae;
        sensory field on thorax strongly developed (fig.3b)..........
         ................................................. klisurensis

Fig.2.
  

Fig.3.
  

Endnotes

1 Folsom (1896) originally described Neelus murinus based on specimens from greenhouse at Cambridge, U.S.A. collected under stones at filmy ferns from Jamaica. However, the author did not provide the number of dorsal manubrial setae. Later, Bonet (1947) made the redescription and stated 4+4 manubrial setae for the species of the studied material from Mexico and South Australia. In the same paper he mentioned different form from Cuba and Mexico (Yucat n), i.e. N. murinus f. bolivari (Bonet, 1944) with 3+3 such setae, originally described as Megalothorax bolivari Bonet, 1944. Stach (1957) observed 3+3 dorsal manubrial setae in the material from Poland, Ukraina, Slovenia and Germany. Massoud and Vannier (1967) made new redescription of N. murinus and stated 3+3 manubrial setae based on specimens from France, Portugal and Switzerland. Obviously, older "Neelus murinus" data should be re-examined.

2 Sensu Massoud & Vannier (1967).

References