Corresponding author: Felipe N. Soto-Adames (
Academic editor: T. Erwin
Three new species of
The springtail fauna of Vermont is poorly known. The most comprehensive list includes only 57 species (
As part of a general survey of the springtail fauna of sandy beaches on the Vermont side of Lake Champlain four species in the family
Most of the terminology used in the descriptions follows
The number of postlabial setae and tergal sensilla are often variable and the formula is presented in the format x (y) where x is the mode and y represents other setae number observed. If there is more than one mode the formula is expressed as x/z (y). Separation between thoracic and abdominal tagma is represented by //, segments within tagma are separated by a semicolon (;). Number of setae are given for half a tergite (i.e., formula 10//101 should be understood as 10//101 + 10//101)
Abbreviations used in the descriptions that follow are: Ant., Th., Abd., L and PAO for antenna, thorax, abdomen, leg and postantennal organ.
The types of the new species are deposited in the Insect Collection of the Natural History Survey, at the University of Illinois, Champaign, IL, USA. The slides of
All collections were made by extracting a plug of sand or soil using a commercial bulb planter. Sand/soil plugs were placed in plastic bags in the field and transported to the laboratory. In the laboratory each plug was washed in water, the water was filtered using commercial coffee maker filters, and the content of the filters was extracted in Berlese funnels (with 15 watts light bulbs) for three days. All sand plugs were moist, as completely dry sand cannot be extracted with a bulb planter. Most samples included only sand, but others contain variable amounts of surface plant debris and the species collected could be either in the sand or on the surface plant debris. The authors collected all samples as follows (localities I and O did not contain examples of the species treated here and are not listed below):
A. Vermont, Chittenden Co., Burlington, Oakledge Park, N44.45640 W73.22513, sand, 24 September 2005.
B. Vermont, Chittenden Co., Burlington, Pine Street Canal, near water treatment plant at south end of Battery St., N 44.46859 W 73.21901, sand, 24 September 2005.
C. Vermont, Chittenden Co., Colchester, Mallets Bay, Colchester Beach, N44.54555 W73.21572, sand with sparse remains of aquatic plant debris, 1 October 2005.
D. Vermont, Chittenden, Colchester, Delta Park, mouth of Winooski River, N44.53111 W73.27396, sand, October 2005
E. Vermont, Chittenden Co., Colchester, Delta Park, beach, intersection of Widemere Way and Horizon View St., N44.53647 W73.27739, sand, October 2005.
F. Vermont, Chittenden Co., Milton, Sand Bar State Park, N44.62818 W73.23769, sand, October 2005.
G. Vermont, Grand Isle Co, South Hero, White’s Beach, N44.62189 W73.32273, sand and thick layer of aquatic plant debris, October 2005
H. Vermont, Grand Isle Co., Grand Isle, Pearl Bay, west of intersection of East Shore North Rd. and Hide Point West Rd., N44.73078 W73.26401, sand with sparse remains of aquatic plant debris, October 2005
J. Vermont, Grand Isle Co., North Hero, Knight Point State Park, eastern beach, N44.76986 W73.29399, sand with sparse remains of aquatic plant debris, October 2005.
K. Vermont, Grand Isle Co., Alburg, Alburg Dunes State Park, N44.86536 W73.30001, sand, October 2005
L. Vermont, Franklin Co., St. Albans, St. Albans Bay State Park, N44.80997 W73.14508, sand with sparse remains of aquatic plant debris, October 2005.
M. New York, Essex Co., Crown Point Historic Area, beach near ruins of Ft. Saint Frederic, N 44.03093 W 73.42768, sand and thick layer of aquatic plant debris, 9 September 2006.
N. Vermont, Addison Co., Chimney Point State Park, N44.03437 W73.42073, sand and thick layer of aquatic plant debris, 9 September 2006.
P. New York, Clinton Co., Ausable Marsh State Wildlife Management Area, N44.57269 W73.43242, sand with sparse remains of aquatic plant debris, 10 September 2006.
Q. Vermont, Orleans, Co., Westmore, Lake Willoughby northeast shore, N44.76906 W72.05338, sand with sparse remains of aquatic plant debris, 5 August 2007.
R. Vermont, Orleans, Co., Westmore, Lake Willoughby south shore, N44.71795 W72.02997, sand with sparse remains of aquatic plant debris, 5 August 2007.
S. Vermont, Orleans Co., Norton, Great Averrill Pond northwest shore, N44.99117 W71.72055, sand, 16 October 2008.
T. Vermont, Orleans, Co., Averill, Great Averill Pond, south shore, N44.97303 W71.68575, sand, 16 October 2008.
U. Vermont, Chittenden Co., South Burlington, University of Vermont Constructed Wetland, N 44.45869 W 73.18936, June 2005.
Holotype– Female, locality U, slide mounted. Paratypes– locality U, 15 on slides, 3 in alcohol.
USA,Vermont, Chittenden Co., South Burlington, University of Vermont Constructed Wetland, N 44.45869 W 73.18936.
The new species is dedicated to Ross Bell in celebration of his contributions to our understanding of the entomological fauna of Vermont.
Length to 0.5 mm. Live individuals black, alcohol preserved specimens (
Following
Comparison between
Species Character | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Color | deep purple | dark blue | pale bluish grey | blue |
PAO/Nearest Eye | 1-1.7 | ≈1 | 1.5 | 1.1-1.2 |
Largest Specimen(mm) | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.9 | 0.8 |
Dorsal Setae Manubrium | 13 | 20 | 20 | ? |
Mucro:Dens | 1:2 | 1:2 | 1:3 | 1:3 |
Dorsal Setae on Dens | 11-12 | 10 | 10 | 9-10 |
Mucronal Membrane | wider at middle | wider at middle | wider on basal half | wider at middle |
Holotype– Locality G, Male, slide mounted. Paratypes– Locality G, 3 on slides, 3 in alcohol; H, 2 on slides, 2 in alcohol. Other Material– Locality F (9 in alcohol),
USA,Vermont, Grand Isle Co., South Hero, White’s Beach, N44.62189 W73.32273.
This species is dedicated to Joyce Bell for her contributions and support to the study of the arthropod fauna of Vermont.
Length to 1.2 mm. Living individuals black, alcohol preserved specimens dark purplish brown to black, with pigment more or less uniformly distributed through out head, body and antennae, legs and manubrium purplish (
Three individuals show variation in the number and size of eyes. In the small juvenile eyes G and H are small, barely rising above the cuticle; one male is blind; and in one female all eyes in one patch are subequal, but on the other patch eye E is less than half the size of F. The axial setae are often disorganized and the number of setae in a column is open to interpretation. The number of tergal sensilla is variable. Most individuals have an asymmetric number of sensilla, and two individuals lack the microsensilla of Abd. 1 on one side. Tenent hair B7 on metathoracic legs often appears acuminate instead of capitate. Two individuals have 3+4 tenacular teeth.
The generic placement of the new species is problematic. It better fits in the genus
The new species is most similar to
The new species is also similar to
Diagnostic characters for selected genera in the
Genus Character |
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|
|
|
|
|
Prelabral Seta | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
Outer Maxillary Palp/Sublobular Appendages | bifurcate/4 | simple/4 | simplebifurcate/3 | bifurcate/3 | simple/4 | simple/4 | simple/4 |
Number Guard Setae on Labial Papilla E | 7 | 5– e4 and e7 absent | 7 | 6– e7 absent | 4-5 | 6– e7 absent | 6– e7 absent |
Tergal Microsensillar Formula | 11//111 | 10//00000//000 | 10//000 to11//111 | 11//111 | 10//10111//111 | 10//000, 10//100, 10//001, 10//101 | 10//101 |
Position Medial Sensilla Abd. 3 | medial row | posterior row | medial row | just anterior to posterior row | subposterior row | posterior row or just anterior to posterior row | posterior row or just anterior to posterior row |
Sternal Thoracic Setae | presentabsent | presentabsent | absent | absent | absent | absentpresent | absent |
Mesotibiotarsal Setae B4/5 | absent | absent | present | present | absent | absent | absent |
Ventral Manubrial Setae | 10 | 1 | absent | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Dorsal/Ventral Dental Setae | variable | 3-7/4-6 | 2-6/0-3 | variable | 3-8/1 | <4/1 | 18-20/4-6 |
Tergal Sensilla Polychaetosis | absent present | absent | absent | absent | absent present | absent | present |
Dental Sculpturing | crenulatetuberculategranulate | crenulate | smooth | tuberculate | smooth | smooth | smooth |
Comparison between
Species Character | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Eye Number | 8 | 8 | 8 | 6 |
Color | dark purple | dark purple | dark purple | yellow |
Tenent Hairs on L1-3 | 1,2,2all capitate | 2-3 on all legsall capitate | 1,2,2all capitate | ?acuminate |
Unguiculus Shape | triangular, asymmetric | triangular, asymmetric | triangular, asymmetric | triangular, symmetric |
Unguiculus Apical Filament | absent | absent | absent | present |
Ventral Tube Distal Setae | 11 | 4 | 4 | ? |
Teeth on Tenaculum | 3-4 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
Dorsal Cuticle of Dens | smooth | smooth | smooth | tuberculate |
Dorsal Seta on Dens | 18-20 | 18? ( |
? | 14-16? ( |
Ventral Setae on Dens | 4-6 | 6 | 5 | at least 2( |
Holotype– Female, slide mounted, locality B. Paratypes– Locality B, 9 individuals on slides, 1976 in alcohol; N, 5 mounted on two slides and more than 3000 in alcohol; P, 4 individuals on slides and 59 in alcohol; Other material– Locality A, 800 individuals in alcohol; C, 7 in alcohol; D, 187 in alcohol; E, 30 in alcohol; F, 32 in alcohol; G 1186 in alcohol; H, 1290 in alcohol; J, 158 in alcohol; K, 35 in alcohol; L, 1723 in alcohol; M, 1555 in alcohol; Q, 5 in alcohol; R, 2 in alcohol; S, 1 in alcohol; T, 8 in alcohol.
USA, Vermont, Chittenden Co., Burlington, Pine Street Canal, near water treatment plant at south end of Battery St., N 44.46859 W 73.21901
The species is named after ‘Champ’ the denizen monster of Lake Champlain, were the new species seems to be most abundant.
Length to 0.7 mm. Live specimens black, alcohol preserved individuals (
USA, Vermont, Chittenden Co., Bolton, Camel’s Hump ≈1200-1230 m elevation, 7 August 1972, W. Rittenhouse, coll. Two slides, one with three individuals, the other with one individual. These are the individuals originally determined as
The following notes serve as a complement to the original description. Cuticle covered by many secondary granules. Organite of Ant. 4 capitate, guard sensilla not strongly modified (
This species was originally placed in the genus
Comparison between
Species Character | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Maxillary Lamella 1 | longer than capitulum of maxilla | shorter than capitulum of maxilla | shorter than capitulum of maxilla | shorter than capitulum of maxilla |
Abd. V Anteriormost Sensilla | s2 | s3 | s3 | s1 |
Ventral Tube Distal Setae | 3 | 4 | 4 | 5-7 |
Tenacular Teeth | 4 | 3 | 3 | 4 |
Dorsal Setae on Dens | 9 | 10-11 | 6-7 | 14-15 |
Number Mucronal Teeth | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 |
We thank Bruce Parker, Entomology Research Laboratory, and Jim Vigoreaux, Department of Biology, for providing space at the University of Vermont during the initial phase of this study. We thank Natasha Bencivenga for assistance sorting samples. Tim Hunter and Eric Smeltzer helped locating sandy beaches on Lake Champlain. The field collection phase of this work was supported by funds from the Lake Champlain Research Consortium and the URECA! program at the University of Vermont. We also thank the two reviewers of the original manuscript, whose suggestions proved critical in the generic assignment of the species discussed here.