Lepidocyrtus

Bourlet, 1839

slender springtails

Species Guides

11

Lepidocyrtus is a of slender springtails in the Entomobryidae, established by Bourlet in 1839. The genus currently comprises at least 30 described organized into eight subgenera, including Fractocyrtus and Setogaster. Species within Lepidocyrtus exhibit considerable morphological diversity, particularly in body coloration, chaetotaxy patterns, and distribution. The genus has a distribution with documented occurrences across Europe, Australia, the Americas, and other regions. Some species groups, such as the L. lignorum-group and L. lanuginosus species group, have been subject to detailed taxonomic revision due to cryptic diversity and high phenotypic variability.

Lepidocyrtus cyaneus by (c) Paul Cook, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Paul Cook. Used under a CC-BY license.Lepidocyrtus by (c) Dan MacNeal, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Dan MacNeal. Used under a CC-BY license.Lepidocyrtus paradoxus by (c) Katja Schulz, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Katja Schulz. Used under a CC-BY license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Lepidocyrtus: //ˌlɛpɪˈdɒsɪrtəs//

These audio files are automatically generated. While they are not always 100% accurate, they are a good starting point.

Identification

Identification to level in Lepidocyrtus requires examination of microscopic characters including macrochaetotaxy formulas, presence and distribution of on and legs, labral papillae , number of interocular scales, and details of the trochanteral organ, , and . Species in the L. lignorum-group share dorsal body macrochaetotaxy pattern R0R1R2/00/0101+3 and possess scales on antennae and legs. The L. lusitanicus species-complex is characterized by three dorsal macrochaetae between m2 and a5 on the second abdominal and exhibits exceptional color pattern variability. Molecular markers including COXII and EF-1α genes have been employed to differentiate cryptic species.

Images

Habitat

vary by and region: European species occur in mid-mountain grassland and forest habitats, riverine and swamp woodland, and soil environments. The subgenus Setogaster in Australia is widespread and numerically , with species inhabiting wheat fields and diverse habitats across different parts of the continent. South American species in the subgenus Fractocyrtus range from the Colombian Andes to the Oriental Brazilian Amazon.

Distribution

distribution with records from Europe (including Italy, Hungary, Iberian Peninsula, Croatia), Australia (widespread subgenus Setogaster), South America (Andes to Oriental Brazilian Amazon), and additional regions including African Indian Desert, Amazon basin, Antarctic and Subantarctic, and Antillean region.

Behavior

The Lepidocyrtus chorus from Croatia exhibits a distinctive dance-like associated with search for food and feeding, representing the first documented record of such feeding-related dancing behavior in Collembola.

Sources and further reading