Collembola sampling

Mehrafrooz Mayvan, Mahmood, Sadeghi-Namaghi, Hussein, Shayanmehr, Masoumeh & Greenslade, Penelope, 2022, Contribution to the knowledge of Entomobryomorpha (Hexapoda: Collembola) from Northeastern Iran with new records and a key to the species, Journal of Insect Biodiversity and Systematics 8 (2), pp. 151-174 : 152-153

Collembola sampling

The soil samples were collected with a soil Corer of 5 in diameter and to a depth of 0–10 cm. Soil sampling commenced in June 2018 and continued monthly until June 2019. Sampling was carried out between the hours of 8.00 and 10.00 am on each date. Each sample was immediately placed individually in a sealed plastic bag and transferred to the laboratory. Collembola were extracted from each soil sample by using a modified Berlese-Tullgren funnel and transferred into 75% ethanol. Extracted specimens were stored for later identification. The specimens were cleared using either Nesbitt’s fluid or lactic acid and mounted on microscopic slides. Permanent microscopic slides were prepared using Hoyer’s medium and examined at high magnification with help of a compound light microscope under phase contrast illumination. Specimens were identified using Potapov (2001), Fjellberg (2007), Jordana (2012) and other relevant literature. Voucher specimens are deposited at Systematic Entomology Laboratory, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Iran. For each species, their bibliographical data, habitat, ecology and distribution are provided here. New records are denoted by an asterisk (*).

The following abbreviations are used in the text: Abd = abdominal segment; Ant = antennal segment; Man = manubrium; Mac = macrochaetae; PAO = post antennal organ; Th = thoracic segment; Tib = tibiotarsi; Tricho = trichobothria.