Two new species and two new records of Homidia (Collembola, Entomobryidae) from China

Abstract

Homidia, one of the largest genera of the family Entomobryidae, is widely distributed in China. To date, 46 species of this genus are present in China and account for approximately 60 % of all known species of the genus. In the present paper, two new species of Homidia are described from China: H. acutus sp. nov. and H. changensis sp. nov. The former is discriminated by the brown to blue-violet pigment present on whole dorsal body and by pointed tenent hairs. The latter is characterised by having only scattered traces of brown pigment on tergites, and by the special macrochaetal formula of coxae. Additionally, two known species of the genus, H. linhaiensis Shi, Pan & Qi, 2009 and H. socia Denis, 1929, are reported from Jiangxi Province for the first time, and some of their taxonomic characters are described. A key to the Chinese species of the genus is provided.