Abstract
The paper deals with taxonomic revision of the genus Neelus Folsom, 1896. Two new species of the genus are described: N. koseli sp. nov. from caves of the eastern Slovakia and N. klisurensis sp. nov. from the Velika Klisura Cave in Serbia (Kosovo). Both species represent first known troglobiotic forms of the genus with distribution restricted to caves. They exhibit clear troglomorphic features not shared by other species of the genus: elongated unguis, larger body, elongated sensilla of Ant. IV segment, and others. Comparative table and dichotomous identification key for species of the genus are provided, remarks on distribution and ecology of species of the genus are added.References
Bonet, F. (1944) Sobre el género Metasinella y algunos otros colémbolos cavenícolas de Cuba. Ciencia, México, 5(1–3), 17–24.
Bonet, F. (1947) Monografía de la familia Neelidae (Collembola). Revista de la Sociedad Mexicana de Historia Natural, 8, 131–192.
Bretfeld, G. (1986) Phylogenetic systematics of the higher taxa of Symphypleona Börner, 1901 (Insecta, Entognatha, Collembola). In: Dallai, R. (Ed) Proc. 2nd International Seminar on Apterygota. University of Siena, Siena, pp. 307–311.
Bretfeld, G. (1999) Symphypleona. In: Dunger, W. (Ed.) Synopses on Palaearctic Collembola, vol. 2. Abhandlungen und Berichte des Naturkundemuseum Gőrlitz, 71(1), pp. 318
Bretfeld, G. & Griegel, A. (1999) Description of a new Neelidae genus and species and of new specimens of Sminthurides annulicornis Axelson, 1905 from Poland. Senckenbergiana biologica, 79(2), 211–223.
Bretfeld, G. & Trinklein, N.D. (2000) New Collembola Symphypleona from the tropical cloud forest of Ecuador (Insecta). Abhandlungen und Berichte des Naturkundemuseum Görlitz, 72(2), 177–194.
Culver, D.C., Deharveng, L., Bedos, A., Lewis, J.J., Madden, M., Reddell, J.R., Sket, B., Trontelj, P. & White, D. (2006) The mid-latitude biodiversity ridge in terrestrial cave fauna. Ecography, 29, 120–128.
Dallai, R. (1979) Investigations on Collembola XXIV. On the systematic of Neelidae with description of Neelides folsomi Caroli. Animalia, 6(1/3), 271–281.
Fjellberg, A. (2007) Collembola of Fennoscandia and Denmark. Part II: Entomobryomorpha and Symphypleona. Fauna Entomologica Scandinavica, 42, pp. 264
Folsom, J.W. (1896) Neelus murinus, representing a new thysanuran family. Psyche, 7, 391–392.
Gama, M.M. da (1986) Aperçu biogéographique des Collemboles de la Macaronésie. In: Dallai, R. (Ed.) Proc. 2nd International Seminar on Apterygota. University of Siena, Siena, pp. 37–52.
Greenslade P. (1994) Collembola. In: Houston, W.W.K. (Ed.) Zoological Catalogue of Australia. Volume 22. Protura, Collembola, Diplura. Melbourne, CSIRO Publishing, Australia, pp. 188
Gulička, J. (1975) Fauna slovenských jaskýň. Acta Carsologica Slovaca, Liptovský Mikuláš, 13, 37–83.
Kováč, Ľ. & Krchová, P. (2007) Spoločenstvá chvostoskokov (Hexapoda, Collembola) Krížovej jaskyne, Medvedej jaskyne a Priepasťovej jaskyne v Humenci, Čierna hora. Acta Carsologica Slovaca, Liptovský Mikuláš, 45, 79–92.
Kováč, M. & Plašienka, D. (2002) Geological structure of the Alpine–Carpathian–Pannonian junction and neighbouring slopes of the Bohemian Massif. Comenius University Bratislava, pp. 84
Mari Mutt, J.A. & Bellinger, P.F. (1990) A catalog of the Neotropical Collembola including Nearctic areas of Mexico. Flora & Fauna Handbook No. 5., Sandhill Crane Press, pp. 237
Massoud, Z. (1971) Contribution à la connaissance morphologique et systématique des Collemboles Neelidae. Revue d'Écologie et de Biologie du Sol, 8(1), 195–198.
Massoud, Z. & Thibaud, J.-M. (1977) Essai de classification des collemboles „cavernicoles“ européens. In: Proceedings of the 6th International Congress of Speleology (Olomouc––ČSSR), Academia, Praha, vol. 5, pp. 141–157.
Massoud, Z. & Vannier, G. (1967) Revision du genre Neelus Folsom 1896 (Collembola) et description de Neelus labralisetosus n. sp. des Iles Salomon. Revue d´Écologie et Biologie du Sol, 4, 625–637.
Najt, J. (1971) Una nueva especie de Neelidae de la República Argentina (Insecta: Collembola). Revista de la Sociedad Entomológica Argentina, 33(1–4), 121–123.
Palacios-Vargas, J.G. (1997) Catálogo de los Collembola de México. Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, pp. 102
Prabhoo, N.R. (1986) Collembolan community in a bamboo grove and grass plot. In: Dallai, R. (ed.) Proc. 2nd International Seminar on Apterygota. University of Siena, Siena, pp. 149–155.
Salmon, J.T. (1951) Some Collembola from Malaya. Proceedings of the Royal Entomological Society of London, (B), 20, 131–141.
Stach, J. (1957) The apterygotan fauna of Poland in relation to the world-fauna of this group of insects. Families: Neelidae and Dicyrtomidae. Polska Akademia Nauk, PWN, Kraków, 113 pp.
Vannier, G. & Massoud, Z. (1967) Productions cireuses chez les Collemboles Neelidae. Revue d´Écologie et de Biologie du Sol, 4, 123–130.