The collembolan fauna of Maestrazgo caves (Teruel, Spain) with description of three new species

Abstract

Three new species of cavernicolous Collembola belonging to genera Pygmarrhopalites and Oncopodura from five caves at El Maestrazgo (Teruel, Spain) are described: Pygmarrhopalites maestrazgoensis sp. nov., P. cantavetulae sp. nov. and Oncopodura fadriquei Jordana & Baquero sp. nov. In addition five other species have been found in the same caves: Heteromurus nitidus (Templeton, 1836), Pseudosinella encrusae Gisin & Gama, 1969 (second record of the species), Megalothorax minimus Willem, 1900, Protaphorura aconae Arbea & Jordana 1994 (second record of the species), and Schaefferia decemoculata (Stach, 1939) (sensu: Thibaud 1970). The explorations of cave fauna in these cavities has been carried out by the "Associació Catalana de Bioespeleologia” under the sponsorship of CEMAT (Centro de Estudios del Maestrazgo Turolense).