Revisiting Szeptyckitheca Betsch & Weiner (Collembola, Symphypleona, Sminthuridae): new species, updated diagnoses, and a key

Abstract

Szeptyckitheca Betsch & Weiner is a genus of Sphyrothecinae (Sminthuridae) similar to Sphyrotheca Börner, with 13 nominal species. Most descriptions of Szeptyckitheca taxa lack valuable data in face of the current taxonomy of Symphypleona. In this study the previously described species of the genus were surveyed, aiming to provide updated diagnoses for them. Three species were also transferred to Szeptyckitheca: Sphyrotheca karlarum Palacios-Vargas, Vázquez & Cuéllar, 2003, S. peteri Palacios-Vargas, Vázquez & Cuéllar, 2003, and S. koreana Betsch & Weiner, 2009, based on trochanteral and/or dental chaetotaxy. Two new Brazilian species of the genus are described and illustrated, S. andrzeji Medeiros, Bellini & Weiner, sp. nov., with a remarkable reduced ventral dental chaetotaxy not seen in other Neotropical species, and S. cyanea Oliveira, Medeiros & Bellini, sp. nov. with a distinctive large set of head vertex spines (18). Finally, an updated key to all the valid species of the genus is presented.