Megalothorax cf. processus Panina & Potapov, 2022

Panina, Ksenia, Potapov, Mikhail, Rumak, Daria & Schneider, Clément, 2025, Investigation on the origin of the “ nose ” in the genus Megalothorax Willem, 1900 (Neelidae, Collembola) by the means of integrative taxonomy, Zootaxa 5590 (2), pp. 209-230 : 217

Megalothorax cf. processus Panina & Potapov, 2022

Panina et al. 2022

Examined material. Two females on slide and one sex undetermined (this specimen lost after DNA extraction), Russia (European part), Buryatia, Barguzinsky Bay of Baikal, Maksimikha , Sports and health camp "Rovesnik" [53,2921° N, 108,6682° Е]; cedar-pine rhododendron forest; 13.06.2024; leg. S. Gulgenov; Deposited in MSPU .

Obtained molecular data. Russia, two individuals sequenced for near-complete n-rDNA operon sequence [PQ900091, PQ900092], same collection data as above.

Remarks. A newly sampled population of Megalothorax was used to obtain molecular data for M. processus . A single specimen could be used for proper morphological preparation, fitting with Megalothorax processus original description, but with globular sensilla inside the sensory fields. The skin of the sequenced specimen was retrieved, and we could observe the same. The shape of those sensilla were never found to be subject to intraspecific variability. Without any molecular sampling available from specimens with the original phenotype, and due to the limited amount of available specimens from the new phenotype we tentatively refer to this material as M. cf. processus .