Five new species of Entomobryinae (Collembola, Entomobryidae) from China

Xiao-Wei Qian; Yi-Tong Ma

doi:10.3897/zookeys.1275.158254

. 2026 Mar 26;1275:81–115. doi: 10.3897/zookeys.1275.158254

Five new species of Entomobryinae (Collembola, Entomobryidae) from China

Xiao-Wei Qian ¹, Yi-Tong Ma ^1,^✉

PMCID: PMC13047377 PMID: 41940414

Abstract

Five new scaled species, belonging to three genera of Entomobryinae, are described from Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and Chongqing Municipality, China. Lepidodens maculatasp. nov. is characterised by small blue spots on the body; Lepidosira chenisp. nov., L. guilinensissp. nov., and L. montissp. nov. by their colour pattern and dorsal chaetotaxy of the body; and Willowsia zhangisp. nov. by its colour pattern. A key to the scaled genera of the subfamily Entomobryinae and a key to the species of Lepidodens are provided.

Key words: Chaetotaxy, identification key, Lepidodens , Lepidosira , springtails, taxonomy, Willowsia

Introduction

With the recent development of molecular biology and the discovery of new morphological characters, a great change has taken place in the classification of the family Entomobryidae. The tribe Willowsiini was abandoned (Zhang and Deharveng 2015), and the family Entomobryidae was divided into six subfamilies (Entomobryinae, Lepidocyrtinae, Paronellidinae, Paronellinae, Salininae, and Seirinae) (Godeiro et al. 2023). Among these six subfamilies, the largest, Entomobryinae, contains 31 genera; 15 genera are without scales on the body and 16 have scales. Among the scaled genera, the shape and distribution of scales are important in the generic taxonomy, separated by the following key.

Key to the scaled genera of the subfamily Entomobryinae

1	Abd. VI with finger-like projection	*Epimetrura*
–	Abd. VI without finger-like projection	2
2	Scales present on dens	3
–	Scales absent on dens	7
3	Dental spines present	*Acanthocyrtus*
–	Dental spines absent	4
4	Basal ribs of scales longer than distal ones	*Lepidodens*
–	Basal ribs of scales almost as long as distal ones	5
5	Scales narrow and tip pointed	*Lepidobrya*
–	Scales not narrow and tip not pointed	6
6	Manubrium with distal thick blunt mac	*Lepidocyrtoides*
–	Manubrium without distal thick blunt mac	*Lepidosira*
7	Dental spines present	8
–	Dental spines absent	9
8	Prelabral bifurcate	*Amazhomidia*
–	Prelabral not bifurcate	*Sinhomidia*
9	Eyes absent	10
–	Eyes present	12
10	Mucro bidentate	*Szeptyckiella*
–	Mucro falcate	11
11	Body mac well developed	*Hawinella*
–	Body mac strongly reduced	*Lepidosinella*
12	Mucro falcate	13
–	Mucro bidentate	14
13	Mucronal basal spine absent	*Desertia*
–	Mucronal basal spine present	*Drepanosira*
14	Scales chaeta-like; scales of posterior row of tergites strongly elongate	*Janetschekbrya*
–	Scales not chaeta-like; scales of posterior row of tergites not strongly elongate	15
15	Scales narrow and with 2 uninterrupted lateral ribs, mac reduced	*Americabrya*
–	Scales different types and mac as usual	*Willowsia*

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There are two main morphological characters in the taxonomy of the genus Lepidodens Zhang & Pan, 2016: (1) scales are heavily striate with basal ribs longer than distal ones and present on the manubrium and dentes besides the trunk; and (2) ms on Abd. I is anterior to m₃mac. Currently, the genus contains five species, all of which have been reported from China.

Lepidosira was established by Schött in 1925 for the species L. montana Schött, 1925. The main characters of the genus include scales on the manubrium and dentes, a retractile terminal organ on the apical antenna, and a bidentate mucro with a basal spine (Schött 1925). To date, 57 species of the genus have been described worldwide (Bellinger et al. 2025), ~ 40 of which are from Oceania, and the other species are from Brazil (1), Costa Rica (1), India (2), Indonesia (3), Japan (1), Vietnam (2), Rwanda, and Burundi (1). There were no reports of the genus from China.

Although scales are present on the body in the genus Willowsia Shoebotham, 1917, they are absent on the dentes. The scales of the genus were divided into four types: spinulate type, short rib type, long basal rib type, and an uninterrupted type (Zhang et al. 2011). Forty-six species have been described worldwide, ranging from the Arctic region to tropical areas, and approximately half are from China (Bellinger et al. 2025).

Here we describe one new species of Lepidodens, three new species of Lepidosira, and one new species of Willowsia from China and provide a key to the species of the genus Lepidodens.

Materials and methods

Specimens were collected in two reserves: the Huaping National Nature Reserve and the Yintiaoling National Nature Reserve. The Huaping National Nature Reserve is located at northeast of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, which belongs to South China. It has a subtropical humid monsoon climate with annual average temperature of about 13°C and an annual average precipitation of 2,200 mm. The Yintiaoling National Nature Reserve is located at northeast of the Chongqing Municipality, which belongs to Southwestern China. It has a subtropical humid monsoon climate with annual average temperature of ~ 10°C and an annual average precipitation of 1,500 mm. Specimens were collected with an aspirator and stored in 99 % alcohol. They were mounted on glass slides in Marc André II solution and examined using a Leica DM2500 phase contrast microscope. Photographs were taken using a Leica DFC300 FX digital camera mounted on the microscope and enhanced with Photoshop CS2 (Adobe Inc.). SEM photographs were taken under a Zeiss GeminiSEM 300 after the specimens were coated with a Leica EM ACE600. Type specimens were deposited in the School of Life Sciences, Nantong University, Jiangsu, China.

The nomenclature of the dorsal macrochaetotaxy of the head and interocular chaetae follows Jordana and Baquero (2005) and Mari-Mutt (1986). Labial chaetae are designated following Gisin (1964). Labral and tergal chaetae of the body follow Szeptycki (1973, 1979).

Abbreviations

Ant. Antennal segment(s);

Th. Thoracic segment(s);

Abd. Abdominal segment(s);

mac macrochaeta(e);

mes mesochaeta(e);

ms specialized microchaeta(e);

sens specialised ordinary chaeta(e);

Gr. Group.

Results

Class Collembola Lubbock, 1873

Order Entomobryomorpha Börner, 1913

Family Entomobryidae Tömösvary, 1882

Genus. Lepidodens

Zhang & Pan, 2016

1939A376-46EA-5A4C-81BC-68B7BBC58766

Type species.

Lepidodens nigrofasciatus Zhang & Pan, 2016: 602.

Lepidodens maculata sp. nov.

FDF4E2EC-86F4-5905-94AE-97EB1982685F

https://zoobank.org/2C08DF22-ED89-466B-974A-72557C4DDB76

Figs 1 , 2, 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 , 30 , 31 , 32 , 33 , 34 , Tables 1 , 2

Figures 1, 2. — Habitus of *Lepidodens* *maculata* sp. nov. (1. Lateral view; 2. Dorsal view). Scale bars: 1 mm.

Figures 3–11. — Scales of *Lepidodens* *maculata* sp. nov. 3. Photomicrograph of scale (dorsal view); 4. Scale (dorsal view); 5. Photomicrograph of scales on terga (dorsal view); 6. Photomicrograph of scales on Ant. I–II (dorsal view); 7. Photomicrograph of scales on head (dorsal view); 8. Photomicrograph of scales on leg; 9. photomicrograph of scales on ventral tube (anterior view); 10. photomicrograph of scales on ventral dens; 11. scale on ventral dens. Scale bars: 20 μm.

Figures 12–19. — *Lepidodens* *maculata* sp. nov. 12. apex of Ant. IV (dorsal view); 13. distal Ant. III (ventral view); 14. distal Ant. II (ventral view); 15. dorsal head (right side); 16. prelabrum and labrum (dorsal view); 17. maxillary palp and outer lobe (right side); 18. labial papilla E; 19. labial and post-labial chaetotaxy (right side). Abbreviations: l. p. = lateral process, right side. Scale bars: 20 μm.

Figures 20–25. — *Lepidodens* *maculata* sp. nov. 20. chaetotaxy of Th. II–III (right side); **21–23**. coxal chaetotaxy of fore, middle and hind leg; 24. trochanteral organ (ventral view); 25. hind foot complex (lateral view). Scale bars: 20 μm.

Figures 26–31. — *Lepidodens* *maculata* sp. nov. 26. chaetotaxy of Abd. I–III (right side); 27. chaetotaxy of Abd. IV (right side and left side partially); 28. chaetotaxy of Abd. V (right side); 29. anterior face of ventral tube distally (Pr = proximal mac; Ed = external-distal mac); 30. posterior face of ventral tube apically; 31. lateral flap of ventral tube. Scale bars: 20 μm.

Figures 32–34. — *Lepidodens* *maculata* sp. nov. 32. manubrial plaque (dorsal view); 33. ventro-apical part of manubrium; 34. mucro (lateral view). Scale bars: 20 μm.

Table 1.

Main differences between L. maculata sp. nov. and other species of the genus.

Characters	L. maculata sp. nov.	L. huadingensis	L. hainanicus	L. nigrofasciatus	L. similis	L. taishunensis
Colour pattern on Th. III	a pair of small blue sublateral spots present	blue pigmented laterally	no blue pigmented	blue pigmented laterally	blue pigmented	no blue pigmented
Blue pigment on whole Abd. I–III	no	no	no	yes	yes	no
Scales on ventral tube	present	absent	absent	absent	present	absent
Lateral process of labial papilla E	reaching or exceeding	not reaching	not reaching	not reaching	not reaching	reaching
Antennal mac on dorsal head	7–8	11	8–9	5	5	unknown
Sutural mac on dorsal head	6	6	3	4	4	unknown
Central mac on Th. III	4	8	3	4	5	6
Mac on Abd. I	3	3	1	2	2	2
Central mac on Abd. II	5	5	3	3	3	3
Central mac on Abd. IV	14–17	19	12–16	6–8	7–13	14

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Table 2.

Intraspecific variation of dorsal chaetotaxy of the new species described in the present paper (? = not clearly seen).

Species	Specimen number	Head				Th. II		Th. III		Abd. I	Central Abd. II	Abd. III		Abd. IV
Species	Specimen number	An	interocular chaetae	Gr. II	labial base	Mm	posterior	central	lateral	Abd. I	Central Abd. II	central	lateral	central	lateral
Lepidodens maculata sp. nov.	1281-1A	8	pqvrt	3	M₁M₂REL₁L₂	3	9	4	10	3	5	3	4	15,16	23,24
	1281-1B	8	pqvrt	3	M₁M₂REL₁L₂	3	9	4	10	3	5	3	4	15	23
	1307-17	8	pqvrt	3	M₁M₂REL₁L₂	3	9	4	10	3	5	3	4	16	22
	1307-18	7	pqvrt	3	MREL₁L₂	3	9	4	10	3	?	3	4	14	?
	1314-3	8	pqvrt	3	M₁M₂REL₁L₂	3	9	4	?	3	4,5	3	4	17	?
	1314-4	8,9	pqvrt	3	MREL₁L₂	3	9	4	10	3	5	3	4	15,16	18
Lepidosira cheni sp. nov.	1274-8	5	pvt	?	M1M₂REL₁L₂	2	10,11	4	9	2	4	2,3	5	8,9	17
	1279-1	6	pvt	2	MREL₁L₂	2	10,11	4	9	2	3	3	5	8,9	17
	1279-8A	6	pvt	2	MREL₁L ₂	2	10,11	4	9	2	3	3	5	8	16
	1279-8B	6	pvt	2	M₁M₂REL₁L₂	2	11	4	?	2	3	3	5	9	21
Lepidosira guilinensis sp. nov.	1274-11	8	pvt	1	M₁M₂M₃REL₁L₂	2	15	5	11	3	4	2	4	16	19
	1274-14	7	pvt	1	M₁M₂M₃REL₁L₂	2	14	5	11	3	4	2	4	15,16	20
	1277-9	8	pvt	1	M₁M₂M₃REL₁L₂	2	15	5	11	3	4	2	4	14,16	19
Lepidosira montis sp. nov.	1321-22	11	pvt	1	M₁M₂M₃REL₁L₂	1	17	8	10	4	5	2	4	17,19	20,21
Lepidosira montis sp. nov.	1321-24	10,11	pvt	1	M₁M₂M₃REL₁L₂	1	16	8	10	4	5	2	4	18,19	19
Willowsia zhangi sp. nov.	1310-7A	5,6	pvt	?	M₁M₂REL₁L₂	2	17	8	14	3	4	3	5	8	19
	1310-7B	5,6	pvt	3	M₁M₂REL₁L₂	2	19	8	14	3	4	3	5	8	18,19
	1310-7C	6	pvt	3	M₁M₂REL₁L₂	2	16,20	8	14	3,4	4	3	5	8,9	16,21
	1310-7D	6,7	pvt	3	M₁M₂REL₁L₂	2	18	8	14	3	4	3	5	8	20

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Type material.

Holotype • ♀ on slide, China, Guangxi Autonomous Region, Guilin City, Longsheng Autonomous County, Huaping Natural Reserve, Tianping Mountain, 31-V-2023, 25°37'52"N, 109°54'47"E, 935.4 m asl, sample number 1281. Paratypes • ♀ on slide, same data as holotype; • 2 ♀♀ on slides, China, Chongqing Municipality, Wuxi County, Yintiaoling National Nature Reserve, Hongqi Protection Station, Hundred-step Stair, 21-VII-2024, 31°29'01"N, 109°49'21"E, 1359.9 m asl, sample number 1307; • 2 ♀♀ on slides, China, Chongqing Municipality, Wuxi County, Yintiaoling National Nature Reserve, Linzikou Protection Station, 24-VII-2024, 31°28'27"N, 109°52'40"E, 1232.5 m asl, sample number 1314. All collected by Y-T Ma.

Description.

Size: Body length up to 2.80 mm.

Colour pattern: Ground colour pale yellow. Eye patches dark blue; basal and distal parts of each segment of Ant. I–III blue pigmented; dorsal head with a longitudinal blue stripe along midline and behind eyepatch, respectively; an irregular longitudinal blue stripe also presents on lateral sides from Th. II to Abd. III. Th. III, Abd. IV, and sometimes Th. II with a pair of small blue sublateral spots (Figs 1, 2).

Scales: Scales pointed with basal ribs longer than distal one (Figs 3, 4), present on terga (Fig. 5), Ant. I–II (Fig. 6), head (Fig. 7), legs (Fig. 8), ventral tube (Fig. 9), ventral side of manubrium and dentes (Figs 10, 11).

Head: Antenna not annulated and 0.48–0.65 times length of body. Ratio of Ant. I–IV as 1.00/1.20–1.78/1.10–1.57/1.76–2.73. Distal part of Ant. IV with many sensory chaetae and normal ciliate chaetae, apical bulb bilobed (Fig. 12). Sensory organ of Ant. III with two rod-like chaetae (Fig. 13). Ant. II with 2–3 rod-like sensilla apically (Fig. 14). Eyes 8+8, G and H smaller than others, interocular chaetae as p, q, v, r, t. Dorsal chaetotaxy of head with 7–8 (rarely 9) antennal (An), four median (M), six sutural (S) mac and three mac in Gr. II (Fig. 15). Prelabral and labral chaetae as 4/5, 5, 4, prelabral chaetae ciliate and other smooth, labral papillae conical (Fig. 16). Basal chaeta on maxillary outer lobe almost as thick as apical one; sublobal plate with three smooth chaetae-like processes (Fig. 17). Lateral process of labial papilla E differentiated, with tip reaching or slightly exceeding apex of papilla E (Fig. 18). Labial base with M₁M₂REL₁L₂, M₂ sometimes absent, all ciliate (Fig. 19).

Thorax: Th. II with three medio-medial (m₁, m₂, m_2i), two medio-sublateral (m₄, m_4i), nine posterior mac, one ms and two sens. Th. III with four (a₂, a₃, p₁, p₂) central and 10 lateral mac, two sens (Fig. 20). Coxal chaetal formula as 5–6/4, 9–11/10 (Figs 21–23). Trochanteral organ with about 73 smooth chaetae (Fig. 24). Tenent hair clavate, 0.96–1.07 length of inner edge of unguis; unguis with four inner teeth, basal pair located at 0.29–0.37 distance from base of inner edge of unguis, distal unpaired teeth at 0.67–0.74 and 0.86–0.90 distance from base; unguiculus lanceolate, outer edge slightly serrate (Fig. 25).

Abdomen: Range of Abd. IV length as 5.90–9.00 times dorsal axial length of Abd. III. Tergal ms formula on Abd. I–Abd. V as 1, 0, 1, 0, 0, sens as 1, 2, 2, 2, 3. Abd. I with three (m_2–4) mac and ms anterior to m₃. Abd. II with five (a₂, m₃, m_3e, m_3ep, m_3ea rarely absent) central, one (m₅) lateral mac. Abd. III with three (a₂, a₃, m₃) central, four (am₆, pm₆, m_7a, p₆) lateral mac (Fig. 26). Abd. IV with two normal sens, 14–17 central and 22–24 (rarely 18) lateral mac (Fig. 27). Abd. V with three sens (Fig. 28). Anterior face of ventral tube scaled with 3+3 large and many small ciliate chaetae, line connecting proximal and external-distal mac oblique to median furrow (Fig. 29); posterior face scaled with two apical smooth chaetae besides numerous ciliate chaetae in different size (Fig. 30); each lateral flap with 5–7 smooth and 10–18 ciliate chaetae (Fig. 31). Manubrial plate dorsally with 9–13 ciliate mac and 3–4 pseudopores (Fig. 32); ventrally with 26–28 (rarely 35) ciliate chaetae (Fig. 33). Mucro bidentate; tip of basal spine reaching apex of subapical tooth; distal smooth section of dens almost equal to mucro in length (Fig. 34).

Etymology.

Named after small sublateral blue spots on Th. III and Abd. IV.

Ecology.

Found in litter of subtropical forest, mainly composed of leaves of Castanopsis fargesii, Alangium chinensis, and Rhododendron simsii.

Remarks.

The new species is very similar to the species Lepidodens huadingensis Guo & Pan, 2022 in the chaetotaxy of the dorsal head and abdomen, but there are differences in their colour pattern and the chaetotaxy of the thorax (Table 1). The chaetotaxy on the dorsal body is very useful in the taxonomy of Collembola. We document the chaetotaxy of every specimen of the new species described in the present paper in Table 2.

Genus. Lepidosira

Schött, 1925

9C6A0E50-72E1-5022-B895-8C74CF9340CD