Sminthuridae - Pygmarrhopalites nr. dubius
Family Sminthuridae
Pygmarrhopalites nr. dubius - undescribed species? Size: 0.52 mm Group Guild Status Troglobiont Fungivore Rare? P. dubius is apparently a cave-limited species that has been recorded from caves in Arkansas, Iowa, and Minnesota (Slay and Graening 2009; Zeppelini et al. 2009). The Kartchner Caverns population, which likely represents an undescribed species near P. dubius, is likely also cave-limited, and may be endemic to Kartchner Caverns or regional caves. The single specimen we obtained was taken from the moldy wood block at the invertebrate station in the Attic of the Rotunda Room on June 11, 2011. The species is likely more widely distributed in the cave. We have not sampled enough of the sminthurid collembolans in the cave to have a good understanding of the distribution, population size, or habitat preferences of the two species. |
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