A new Australian species of Acrotelsella (Zygentoma: Lepismatidae); could it be an endangered short range endemic?

Authors

  • Graeme Smith Australian Museum; Federation University Australia

Keywords:

Thysanura, taxonomy, new species, global warming

Abstract

A new and comparatively attractive species of silverfish from the genus Acrotelsella is described from specimens collected near the summit of a mountain in central Australia. It is unusual in displaying medial combs on some urosternites. Questions are posed as to whether it is a species with a very restricted range that may be endangered by global warming, or simply a reflection of the poor state of knowledge of the Australian silverfish fauna.

References

Escherich, K. (1905): Das System der Lepismatiden. – Zoologica (Stuttgart) 43: 1–164.

Irish, J. (1987): Revision of the genus Ctenolepisma Escherich (Thysanura: Lepismatidae) in southern Africa. – Cimbebasia (A) 7: 147–207.

Irish, J. (1988): Revision of Stylifera Stach and its bearing on African south west arid biogeography (Thysanura: Lepismatidae). – Annales de la Société Entomologique de France 24: 59–67.

Lindsay, E. (1940): The biology of the silverfish, Ctenolepisma longicaudata Esch. with particular reference to its feeding habits. – Proceedings of the Royal Society of Victoria 52: 35–83.

Mendes, L. F. (1982): Dados sobre a sistemática evolutiva e a zoogeografia dos Lepismatidae (Zygentoma); Revisão das espécies do género Lepisma s. latum. Vol. 2. – Thesis, Universidade de Lisboa - Faculdada de Ciências (unpublished). Lisbon: 270 pp.

Mendes, L. F. (1989): Nouvelles données sur les Lepismatidae (Zygentoma) de l’Asie Orientale et de l’Indonésie. – Garcia de Orta, Séries Zoologia, Lisboa 14: 79–92.

Nicholls, G. E. & Richardson, K. C. (1926): A description of two new species of Acrotelsa. – Journal of the Royal Society of Western Australia 12: 133–142.

Noble-Nesbitt, J. (1970): Water balance in the firebrat, Thermobia domestica (Packard). The site of uptake of water from the atmosphere. – Journal of Experimental Biology 52: 193–200.

Paclt, J. (1967): Thysanura. Fam. Lepidotrichidae, Maindroniidae, Lepismatidae. – Genera Insectorum 218e : 1–86.

Silvestri, F. (1908): Thysanura. –In: Michaelsen, W. & R. Hartmeyer (eds): Die Fauna Südwest-Australiens. Ergebnisse der Hamburger südwestaustralischen Forschungsreise 1905, Vol. 2. – Gustav Fischer, Jena: 47-68.

Silvestri, F. (1935): Marquesan Thysanura. – Bulletin of the Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum 114: 305–312.

Smith, G. B. (2013): A new species of Heterolepisma from Barrow Island (Zygentoma: Lepismatidae). – Records of the Western Australian Museum. Supplement 83: 229-240.

Stach, J. (1932): III. Die Apterygoten aus den Galapagos-Inseln. – Meddelelser fra det Zoologiske Museum Oslo 29: 331–346, tabs II–IV.

Womersley, H. (1939): Primitive insects of South Australia. Silverfish, springtails and their allies. – Frank Trigg, Government Printer, Adelaide: 322 pp.

Wygodzinsky, P. (1959): Thysanura and Machilida of the Lesser Antilles and northern South America. – Studies on the fauna of Curaçao and other Caribbean Islands 36: 28–49.

Downloads

Published

2015-12-01

How to Cite

Smith, G. (2015). A new Australian species of Acrotelsella (Zygentoma: Lepismatidae); could it be an endangered short range endemic?. SOIL ORGANISMS, 87(3), 169–181. Retrieved from https://soil-organisms.org/index.php/SO/article/view/286

Issue

Section

ARTICLES