New cave species of Cyphoderus Nicolet and Pararrhopalites Bonet & Tellez (Hexapoda, Collembola) from Caatinga biome, Brazil

Abstract

In recent years, surveys have revealed a high diversity of troglophilic and troglobitic species of Brazilian Collembola, mainly represented by the Entomobryidae and Sminthuridae, which hold some representative genera in Brazilian caves such as Cyphoderus Nicolet and Pararrhopalites Bonet & Tellez. Here we describe in detail two new species of these genera sampled from caves of the semiarid region of Rio Grande do Norte state, Brazil. Cyphoderus caatinguensis sp. nov. is similar to other Neotropical species of the tridenticulati group, but it is unique by the combination of labial chaetotaxy, ungues with a filamentous apical tooth and number of feathered chaetae on the dorsal face of the dens. Pararrhopalites iataganii sp. nov. differs from other Neotropical species of the genus especially by the number of subsegments of the fourth antennomere, number of cephalic spines, manubrium chaetotaxy and ventral dens formula. Recognition of these species enhances our understanding of the subterranean fauna in the Neotropics, and their identification may support future conservation policies for caves of the Rio Grande do Norte state, Brazil.