Refine
Document Type
- Article (3)
Language
- English (3)
Has Fulltext
- yes (3)
Is part of the Bibliography
- no (3)
Keywords
- biogeography (3)
- Japygidae (2)
- cave-dwelling (2)
- phylogeny (2)
- Asia (1)
- Campodeidae (1)
- Plusiocampinae taxonomy (1)
- caves (1)
- taxonomy (1)
- troglomorphy (1)
Few species of Japygidae (Diplura) have been discovered in cave ecosystems despite their importance as large predators. A small collection of rare specimens of this hexapod group has allowed to explore the taxonomy of japygids from caves in New Zealand, Morocco and South Africa, and to describe one new genus: Imazighenjapyx Sendra & Sánchez-García gen. nov., as well as four new species: Austrjapyx wynbergensis Sendra & Sánchez-García sp. nov., Imazighenjapyx marocanus Sendra & Sánchez-García gen. et sp. nov., Opisthjapyx naledi Sendra & Sánchez-García sp. nov. and Teljapyx aotearoa Sendra & Sánchez-García sp. nov. For each of the new taxa we give a comprehensive description of their habitats. These new findings resulted in a revision of the distribution and allowed to re-evaluate the morphological traits of the fifteen cave-adapted japygids species already known worldwide. The functional morphology of the remarkable abdominal pincers of Japygidae and their adaptation to predation are discussed, as well as their potential role in mating behaviour.
Twenty-nine specimens of Diplura collected from eight caves in China and Myanmar contain two new genera, Hubeicampa Sendra & Lips gen. nov. and Mueggejapyx Sendra & Komerički gen. nov., as well as four new species, Anisuracampa ywangana Sendra & Komerički sp. nov., Hubeicampa melissa Sendra & Lips gen. et sp. nov., Pacificampa wudonghuii Sendra sp. nov. and Mueggejapyx brehieri Sendra & Komerički gen. et sp. nov. These cave-adapted taxa showcase an impressive diversity in morphological adaptation (troglomorphy) to cave ecosystems. Their sensorial equipment, setae and receptors in the cupuliform organ have unique forms (H. melissa gen. et sp. nov.), as well as the pretarsus sticky surface (A. ywangana sp. nov. and H. melissa gen. et sp. nov.). Recent contributions on Asian diplurans, together with the taxonomic novelties shown in the present study, highlight the biogeographical importance of the Asian biodiversity. Asia is revealed as a continent with vast karst regions still waiting to be explored and new dipluran species waiting to be discovered.
A new dipluran species, Plusiocampa (Plusiocampa) imereti Sendra & Barjadze sp. nov., from the deep zone in three caves in the Imereti region, Georgia, is described. This new troglobitic Plusiocampa is an addition to four others known Diplura from around the Black Sea region, two Dydimocampa and two Plusiocampa s. str. The present study also provides the first CO1 sequences for the Plusiocampinae taxa and the first molecular data for cave-dwelling Plusiocampa species. Although bootstrap values were low, the maximum-likelihood phylogenetic tree grouped Plusiocampa (P.) imereti Sendra & Barjadze sp. nov. with two Plusiocampa s. str. species from Eastern Europe. Morphologically, P. (P.) imereti Sendra & Barjadze sp. nov. is closely related to two cave-dwelling species: Plusiocampa (Plusiocampa) glabra Condé, 1984 and Plusiocampa (P.) chiosensis Sendra & Gasparo, 2020. The new species can be distinguished by the presence of lateral anterior macrosetae on metanotum, more uneven claws, and the presence of 2+2 lateral anterior macrosetae on middle urotergites. The five species currently known for the Black Sea region inhabit caves located at low altitude but with no influence from former glacial or permafrost processes.
