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Type: Article
Published: 2015-02-19
Page range: 85–100
Abstract views: 23
PDF downloaded: 1

Intra- and inter-population polymorphism in Coletinia maggii (Grassi, 1887) (Zygentoma: Nicoletiidae), an inhabitant of soil, mesovoid shallow substratum (MSS) and caves—A challenge for the strict classification of subterranean fauna?

Grupo de Investigación de Biología del Suelo y de los Ecosistemas Subterráneos. Departamento de Ciencias de la Vida. Facultad de Biología, Química y Ciencias Ambientales. Universidad de Alcalá (UAH). A.P. 20 Campus Universitario. Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, Spain. E-28805.
Grupo de Investigación de Biología del Suelo y de los Ecosistemas Subterráneos. Departamento de Ciencias de la Vida. Facultad de Biología, Química y Ciencias Ambientales. Universidad de Alcalá (UAH). A.P. 20 Campus Universitario. Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, Spain. E-28805.
Alluvial MSS cave cauna edaphic endogean hypogean Nicoletiidae

Abstract

New locations of Coletinia maggii (Grassi, 1887) have been discovered in the center of the Iberian Peninsula in different types of subterranean environments, such as a stony layer in the subsoil of an alluvial plain, an alluvial Mesovoid Shallow Substratum or Milieu Souterrain Superficiel (MSS) and a gypsum cave. This is the first record of both an alluvial MSS in the center of the Iberian Peninsula and of a subterranean species living in it. The high number of specimens captured allowed the first detailed study of the morphological intra- and inter-population variations of this species. The implications of its presence in these different environments, its wide distribution area across Europe, and the relevance of the morphological variation in the characters for the taxonomy of this species are discussed. Based on the results, Coletinia hernandoi Molero, Bach & Gaju, 2013 is proposed as a new synonym of C. maggii.