AnimaliaacceptedgenusAccepted
Arrhopalites

Arrhopalites

Borner, 1906

GBIF:293645660

0year

ABOUT

Descriptions(1)

Key to species of the Caucasian Arrhopalites Börner, 1906

1 Spine-like setae on head dorsum present; cuticular spines on female Abd VI present; claws without clear modifications; tip of mucro swollen....................................................................................... 2

- Spine-like setae on head dorsum absent; cuticular spines on female Abd VI absent; claws much elongated; tip of mucro not swollen............................................................................................. 3

2 Head dorsum with 13 spine-like setae; antenna about 1,5× head length; Ant III not modified; Ant IV without distinct subsegmentation; claw III with inner tooth and tunica......................... A. caecus (Tullberg, 1871) (troglophile)

- Head dorsum with 9 spine-like setae; antenna 2× head length; Ant III with basal swelling; Ant IV with 5–7 subsegments separated by several weakly developed annuli; claw III without inner tooth and tunica.............................................................................................. A. abchasicus Vargovitsh, 2013 (troglobiont)

3 Head dorsum with three axial setae; empodium III without corner tooth; dorsal valve of female Abd VI with 11 + 2 axial setae per side........................................................... A. colchicus Vargovitsh, 2025 (troglobiont)

- Head dorsum with four axial setae; empodium III with corner tooth; dorsal valve of female Abd VI with 10 + 2 axial setae per side................................................................................................ 4

4 Circumanal setae broadened, finely denticulated, and laterally serrated; appendices anales smooth and acuminate; femur II with 12 setae; claws I and II without inner tooth............................. A. macronyx Vargovitsh, 2012 (troglobiont)

- Circumanal setae ordinary; appendices anales apically denticulated; femur II with 13 setae; claws I and II with minute inner tooth............................................................ A. profundus Vargovitsh, 2022 (troglobiont)

Vargovitsh, Robert S. (2025): Antennal troglomorphy in Arrhopalitidae (Collembola: Symphypleona) with the description of two new cave Pygmarrhopalites Vargovitsh, 2009 species from the Arabika Massif in the Caucasus. Zootaxa 5673 (4): 523-556, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5673.4.3, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5673.4.3MagnoliaPress via PlaziNo known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.

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Source Information

Antennal troglomorphy in Arrhopalitidae (Collembola: Symphypleona) with the description of two new cave Pygmarrhopalites Vargovitsh, 2009 species from the Arabika Massif in the Caucasus

checklist

This dataset contains the digitized treatments in Plazi based on the original journal article Vargovitsh, Robert S. (2025): Antennal troglomorphy in Arrhopalitidae (Collembola: Symphypleona) with the description of two new cave Pygmarrhopalites Vargovitsh, 2009 species from the Arabika Massif in the Caucasus. Zootaxa 5673 (4): 523-556, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5673.4.3, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5673.4.3

Abstract

The Arabika Massif in the West Caucasus is a high-altitude alpine karst region containing numerous caves, including three of the deepest in the world. These subterranean environments harbor unique speleofauna, including four previously described collembolan species from the genera Schaefferia Absolon, Anurida Laboulbène, Deuteraphorura Absolon, and Plutomurus Yosii. In this paper, we describe two new troglobiont species of Pygmarrhopalites Vargovitsh — P. arbaicus sp. nov. and P. trisetosus sp. nov. —collected from four cold caves at elevations near 2,300 m on the Arabika Massif. Both species exhibit elongated appendages and represent the atmobiont troglomorphic life form. Additionally, we report P. sericus (Gisin, 1947) from the Caucasus for the first time, discovered in three small caves within the massif. The updated list of Caucasian collembolan species of the family Arrhopalitidae now includes 16 species, 14 of which— representing different life forms—have been recorded from caves in the region. Identification keys to the genera and species of Caucasian Arrhopalitidae are also provided. Antennal elongation, a common adaptation among cave-dwelling Arrhopalitidae, has evolved convergently through various patterns, primarily affecting the fourth antennal segment. These patterns may occur independently or in combination and include an increased number of subsegments, simple elongation of subsegments, the formation of annulations between subsegments, and the appearance of bare intercalary pseudosubsegments.Subsegmentation patterns are always more pronounced in males.The rich diversity and high endemism of Arrhopalitidae in West Caucasian caves, along with other cave-dwelling groups, make this region a biodiversity hotspot and a center of speleofaunal diversity at the Europe-Asia boundary.

Vargovitsh R S, plazi (2025). Antennal troglomorphy in Arrhopalitidae (Collembola: Symphypleona) with the description of two new cave Pygmarrhopalites Vargovitsh, 2009 species from the Arabika Massif in the Caucasus. Plazi.org taxonomic treatments database. Checklist dataset https://doi.org/10.15468/2mnb7h accessed via GBIF.org on 2026-06-17.

CC0Published 8/7/2025View dataset
GBIF Usage Key
293645660
Dataset Key
bac1bb01-04c5-4e61-9d47-50a01967360a
Origin
source
Backbone Key
2122170
Taxon ID
8F2F2F2DA73EFF8EFF1F4D5331A8FC32.taxon
Last Crawled
6/8/2026
Last Interpreted
6/8/2026